Srom  t^e  fcifitari?  of 

(pxofcBBox  ^amuef  (gliffer 

in  (^emoti?  of 

3ubge  ^atnuef  (ttliffer  QSrecftinribge 

^reeenfeb  61? 

^dmuef  (ttliffer  QStecftinribge  feong 

to  f ^e  fei6rari?  of 

(Princeton  ^^eofogicaf  ^eminctrg 


THE 


MODE    AND     SUBJECTS 


BAPTISM.    , 


MILO    P.   JEWETT,    A.  M. 

LATE    PROFESSOK    OK    RHETORIC    A>D    ORATORY    IN    MARIETTA    COLLEGE, 
OHIO,  A?.D  A  LICENSED  MINISTER  OF  THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 


TENTH    THOUSAND. 


STEREOTYPED     EDITION 


BOSTON: 
GOULD,   KENDALL,    AND    LINCOLN, 

r>9  W^ASHiNf.TON  Street. 

1 8  I  r, . 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1839, 
By  GOULD,  KENDALL,  AND  LINCOLN, 

In  tlie  Clerk's  Office  of  tlie  District  Court  of  JMassacliuselts. 


STKREOTYPKD    AT  THE 
WJST.iN    I'VPE    AND   STKREOTYPK    FOUNDRV. 


PREFACE 

TO    THE    FIRST    EDITION 


The  following  pages  were  originally  prepared  without 
any  reference  to  publication.  At  the  earnest  solicitation 
of  his  brethren,  the  writer  has  consented  to  commit  his 
views  to  the  press.  He  has  presented  the  reasonings  on 
the  subject,  as  they  have  passed  before  his  own  mind,  freely 
availing  himself  of  the  labors  of  others,  and  endeavoring, 
with  candor,  and  fairness,  to  state  and  examine  the  argu- 
ments of  those  who  have  written  on  the  other  side.  Having 
diligently  studied,  in  the  course  of  the  investigation  which 
resulted  in  his  present  convictions,  numerous  Pedo-baptist 
writers,  —  critics,  commentators,  and  divines,  —  and  having 
also  acquainted  himself  with  the  works  of  the  more  recent 
Baptist  writers,  the  author  ventures  to  hope  these  discourses 
will  show  tite  present  state  of  the  controversy  in  this  country. 

The  works  to  which  the  most  frequent  reference  hjis 
been  made  in  the  preparation  of  these  sermons,  are  Ripley's 
Examination  of  Stuart,  the  Christian  Review,  the  Treatise 
cf  Carson,  Sermons  of  the  late  Dr.  Davis  of  Hartford,  Con- 
necticut, Judson's  Sermon,  Professor  Stuart's  article  in  the 
Biblical  Repository,  Dr.  Bloomfield's  Greek  Testament  with 
English  Notes,  Barnes's  Notes,  and  Robinson's  Lexicon  of 
the  New  Testament. 

The  Lexicon  just  named,  being,  in  the  main,  a  correct 
exposition  of  the  text,  will  ever  be  regarded  by  the  Baptist 
student  of  the  original  Greek  as  a  standard  work. 

The  spirit  exhibited  in  the  treatise  of  Carson  is  not  to  be 
commended  :  his  reasoning,  however,  is  tinanswerable. 


4  PREFACE. 

The  author  desires  particularly  to  acknowledge  his  obli- 
gations to  the  Examination  of  Stuart,  by  Professor  Ripley, 
and  to  the  Christian  Review,  edited  by  Professor  Sears.  No 
one  should  read  Professor  Stuart's  Essay  witliout  following 
it  with  the  Examination  —  a  work  exhibiting  a  liberality  of 
feeling,  an  acuteness  of  criticism,  and  a  cogency  of  argu- 
ment, which  must  inspire  esteem  and  command  respect,  if 
they  do  not  enforce  conviction. 

From  the  Review  the  opinions  of  the  German  critics 
have  been  mostly  derived,  and  the  examination  of  the 
ancient  Fathers  is  to  be  referred  to  the  same  source.  This 
periodical  is  published  under  the  auspices  of  the  Baptist 
denomination,  and  its  pages  furnish  conclusive  proof  of  the 
learning  and  ability  of  its  conductors.  It  is  destined  to  confer 
upon  the  denomination  incalculable  benefits,  and  should  be 
possessed  by  all  our  members,  both  ministers  and  laity. 

In  stating  the  grounds  on  which  the  baptism  of  infants 
is  supported,  resort  has  usually  been  had  to  the  Lectures 
of  the  Rev.  Leonard  Woods,  D.  D.,  the  writer's  venerated 
and  beloved  instructor  in  theology. 

It  would  be  a  source  of  deep  regret  to  the  writer,  should 
there  be  found  in  the  spirit  of  these  discourses  any  thing 
meriting  condemnation.  If  he  knovv^s  his  own  heart,  he 
cherishes  towards  the  brethren  with  whom  he  was  formerly 
connected  the  warmest  Christian  affection.  Having  been 
uniformly  happy  in  his  church  relations,  and  that  happiness 
having  suffered  no  interruption  by  his  conscientious  with- 
drawal from  his  Pedo-baptist  associates,  the  writer  has  yet 
to  learn  that  an  honest  difference  of  opinion  among  Chris- 
tians is  incompatible  with  the  charity  inculcated  by  the 
gospel. 

With  fervent  prayers,  that  this  humble  effort  may  pro- 
mote the  cause  of  truth  and  piety,  the  author  desires  to 
commit  it  to  the  great  Head  of  tliQ  church. 


PREFACE 

TO  THE  thihd  edition. 


The  kindness  with  which  this  humble  tribute  to  the 
cause  of  truth  has  been  received,  demands  a  thankful 
acknowledgment  to  the  great  Head  of  the  church,  and 
an  expression  of  gratitude  to  the  Christian  community, 
through  whose  favor  a  third  edition  now  appears. 

Scarcely  twelve  months  have  elapsed  since  the  work 
was  first  issued  from  the  press.  The  first  edition  was 
immediately  taken  up,  and  a  second  was  so  soon  called 
for,  that  there  was  no  opportunity  for  any  alterations  or 
additions,  had  any  been  deemed  necessary. 

Since  the  publishers  have  informed  me  that  another 
edition  is  now  required,  I  have  been  led  to  reconsider  the 
arguments,  facts,  and  considerations  of  the  original  work. 
The  writer  hopes  he  is  by  no  means  insensible  to  the 
defects  of  the  volume.  The  discussion  of  various  topics 
treated  of  might  be  greatly  extended,  and  new  topics  of 
grave  importance  might  be  noticed  ;  but  the  introduction 
of  much  new  matter  would  not  comport  with  the  design 
of  the  work,  would  increase  its  cost  as  well  as  its  size, 
and  thereby  diminish  its  usefulness  as  a  popular  treatise, 
intended  for  general  circulation. 

After  carefully  reviewing  the  whole  subject,  attentively 
considering  the  strictures  of  reviews,  and  of  "  Answers  to 
Jewett,"  and  seriously  reflecting  upon  the  numerous  kind 
suggestions  of  Pedo-baptist  friends,  I  do  not  see  that  either 
truth  or  candor  demand  any  important  alterations.  The 
1* 


0  PREFACE. 

study  of  the  Bible  more  and  more  strongly  convinces  me 
that  the  reasonings  are  clearly  drawn  from  the  Word  of 
God,    and   the    conclusions   urged   are    agreeable   to   the 

DIVINE    WILL, 

I  have,  therefore,  made  only  one  or  two  slight  changes 
in  tJie  work,  and  have  added  such  additional  matter,  only, 
as  will  increase  its  value,  without  materially  increasing  its 
bulk. 

With  humility  and  devout  gratitude,  the  author  desires 
once  more  to  commend  this  effort  to  Him  in  whose  hands 
are  the  hearts  of  all  his  saints. 

M.  P.  J. 


INTRODUCTION 


EXTRACTS  OF  A  LETTER  FROM  THE  AUTHOR,  GIVING 
AX  ACCOUNT  OF  HIS  CHANGE  OF  VIEWS,  AND 
WRITTExV   A  FEW  DAYS  AFTER  HIS  BAPTISM. 

"  Marietta  College,  June  23,  1S3S. 

*  *  *  *  "  Perhaps  you  know  I  have 
preached  for  about  two  years  past  to  a  Presbyterian 
church  in  the  country.  Some  eighteen  months 
arro,  an  elder  of  that  church  became  a  Baptist. 
On  the  occasion  of  his  baptism,  a  sermon  was 
preached  by  Rev.  Hiram  Gear,  the  Baptist  minister 
in  Marietta.  This  sermon  disturbed  several  mem- 
bers of  my  church,  and  the  session  requested  me 
to  preach  on  baptism,  in  reply.  I  declined,  saying, 
the  best  way  to  manage  the  excitement  was,  totally 
to  disregard  it;  pleading  my  duties  in  college,  &/C. 
Soon  the  session  applied  to  me  a  second  time, 
insisting  that  I  must  preach  on  the  subject;  sev- 
eral members  of  the  church  were  in  trouble,  and 
a  discourse  must  be  delivered.  Finding  that  the 
interest  in  the  subject  was  not  likely  to  die  by 
neglect   on    my  part,   I   told  the  church   I  would 


8  INTRODUCTION. 

prepare  a  discourse  as  soon  as  practicable,  and 
begged  them  to  remain  quiet  till  they  should  hear 
what  I  might  have  to  say. 

"  Thus  compelled  to  write,  I  determined  to  go 
into  an  original  investigation  of  the  whole  matter, 
proceeding  just  as  if  I  had  never  heard  or  read 
any  thing  on  either  side,  and  endeavoring,  with  a 
spirit  of  candid  and  prayerful  inquiry,  to  seek  after 
the  mind  of  Christ.  I  began  my  researches  by 
reading  Professor  Stuart  on  ^anil'c^w,  the  ablest 
Pedo-baptist  work  on  the  philology  of  the  subject. 
The  inquiry  was,  What  does  Christ  mean  when 
he  commands  his  ministers  to  baptize  ?  I  was 
soon  astonished  to  find,  in  Stuart's  investigation, 
proof  so  strong  that  the  word,  in  its  literal,  ordinary 
sense,  universally  means  to  immerse,  plunge,  or  dip. 
It  looked  as  if,  with  this  fact  before  him,  the 
learned  professor  ought  to  have  become  a  Baptist. 
I  was  alarmed,  and  would  have  given  up  the  in- 
quiry, but  could  not.  I  laid  aside  Stuart,  and 
entered  upon  an  investigation  of  the  original 
Scriptures  relative  to  the  language  used  respecting 
the  ordinance.  I  also  examined  Josephus,  and 
the  classics,  so  far  as  I  had  the  means.  The  fur- 
ther I  prosecuted  my  inquiries,  the  stronger  was 
the  evidence  in  favor  of  Baptist  views.  Thus 
passed  some  months.  The  people  had  become 
tired  of  asking  after  my  sermon  on  Baptism,  but 


INTIlODUCTiON.  \f 

my  conscience  would  not  now  su'Ter  me  to  aban- 
don the  investigation.  I  therefore  continued  to 
apply  to  it,  as  other  duties  permitted,  all  my  powers, 
till  I  was  compelled  to  admit,  as  a  philologist  and 
interpreter  of  the  Bible,  that  immersion,  and  that 
only,  is  the  baptism  ichich  Christ  enjoins. 

**  Afterwards  I  took  up  infant  baptism  ;  and  here 
I  found  myself  in  clouds  and  darkness.  I  wan- 
dered about  in  the  fogs  with  which  writers  have 
shrouded  the  Abrahamic  covenant,  the  connection 
between  the  Old  and  the  New  Dispensations,  the 
substitution  of  modern  for  ancient  rites  and  ordi- 
nances, the  obscure  passages  of  ecclesiastical  his- 
tory, bewildered  and  perplexed  —  all,  as  I  now 
believe,  because  I  would  not  trust  to  the  Word  of 
God  to  guide  me  to  God's  Institutions.  I  con- 
versed with  my  Pedo-baptist  friends,  I  prayed,  and 
wept,  and  groaned.  I  would  lay  down  the  subject 
for  weeks,  then  resume  it,  till,  some  three  or  four 
months  ago,  I  was  obliged,  in  the  fear  of  God,  to 
conclude  that  none  but  believers  in  Jesus  have  a 
right  to  the  ordinances  of  Jesus. 

*  *  *  «  J  lay  no  claim  to  infallibility  ; 
but  if  I  am  wrong,  I  am  conscientiously  so  —  I  am 
so  after  a  most  laborious  and  protracted  search  for 
truth.     I  have  acted  also  in  opposition  to  all  the 


10 


INTRODUCTION. 


prejudices  of  early  years  —  of  classical  and  theo- 
logical study  —  prejudices  confirmed  by  twelve 
years'  connection  with  a  Pedo-baptist  church,  dur- 
ing six  of  which  I  acted  as  a  minist-er  of  Christ. 
And  not  only  my  church  relations,  but  all  my 
literary  associations,  my  family  connections,  and 
my  temporal  interests,  have  combined  to  withhold 
me  from  the  result  to  which  I  have  come.  These 
I  cheerfully  sacrifice  to  my  convictions  of  truth 
and  duty." 


"Yours,  &c.' 


BAPTISM. 


THE    MODE. 

Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  —  Matt.  28  :  19. 

When  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  had  finished  the 
work  assigned  him  on  the  earth,  and  was  about  to 
ascend  to  the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high, 
he  addressed  the  apostles  in  the  words  of  the  text, 
—  thus  charging  them  with  the  great  duty  of  making 
disciples  of  all  nations,  and  of  introducing  them  into 
the  visible  church  by  the  ordinance  of  baptism. 
"  Go,  teach,"  —  or,  more  in  conformity  with  the 
original,  fnake  disciples  or  Christians  of — "all 
nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father," 
61-0.  —  i.  e.  into  subjection  and  obedience  to  the 
Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost.  This  is 
the  GRAND  COMMISSION,  undcr  which  the  ministers 
of  Christ,  in  every  age,  have  gone  forth,  preach- 
ing the  glad  tidings  of  salvation.  This  is  the 
great  law  of  the  church,  as  Baxter  calls  it,  under 
which  the  heralds  of  the  cross  are  every  where, 
and  throughout  all  generations,  to  organize  the 
churches  of  Christ,  and  receive  men  to  the  priv- 
ileges of  the  Christian  communion.     This   being 


12  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

the  case,  we  should  naturally  expect  to  find  the 
words  of  the  commission  clear  and  decisive,  both 
as  to  the  persons  ivlio  should  be  enrolled  among 
Christians,  and  as  to  the  manner  in  which  they 
should  be  initiated  into  the  company  of  the  disci- 
ples. On  both  these  points,  we  should  expect  the 
will  of  the  Founder  of  Christianity  to  be  clearly 
made  known ;  and  we  should  anticipate  that  the 
instructions  given  by  the  Divine  Author  of  the 
Christian  system  for  the  organization  of  the  church, 
would  be  so  plain,  and  so  precise,  that  his  minis- 
ters, acting  as  his  agents  and  representatives,  coidd 
not  easily  mistake  their  duty.  But,  unhappily, 
however  intelligible  may  have  been  the  directions 
of  our  Saviour  in  the  estimation  of  those  to  whom 
the  language  of  the  commission  was  originally 
addressed,  and  however  uniform  their  practice, 
there  has  existed  for  many  centuries  a  diversity 
of  sentiment  in  this  matter.  Some  maintain  that 
the  baptized  infant  children  of  believers  are  proper 
members  of  the  church  of  Christ ;  and  that  the 
ordinance  of  baptism  is  duly  observed,  by  the  ap- 
plication of  water  in  any  manner,  and  to  any  ex- 
tent, however  limited  ;  while  others  believe,  that 
the  Scriptures  represent  the  inuncrsion  of  a  pro- 
fessed believer  in  the  name  of  the  Trinity,  and  that 
only^  to  be  Christian  baptism. 

Having,  after  a  protracted,  and,  I  trust,  prayer- 
ful and  impartial  examination  of  the  whole  subject, 
been  led  to  embrace  the  latter  view,  I  proceed  to 
give  some  reasons  for  believing  it  agreeable  to  the 
Scriptures  of  truth. 

The  first  question  which  presents  itself  to  our 
consideration  is.  What  is  Christian  Baptism? 
Observe,  tlie  question  does  not  relate  to  any  mode 


OF    BAPTISM.  13 

of  baptism  ;  it  is  not,  whether  baptism  may,  or  may 
not,  be  performed,  in  this  or  that  manner :  the 
question  is,    \VJiat  is  baptism  itself  ? 

The  position  which  I  shall  endeavor  to  sustain 
in  this  discourse,  is  this:  the  immersion  of  the  sub- 
ject in  water  is  essential  to  the  ordinance. 

I.  This  is  evident,  in  the  first  place,  from  the 
MEANING  OF  THE  TERMS  which  Christ  uses,  when 
he  enjoins  the  rite  of  baptism.  '*  Go,  teach  all 
nations,  baptizing  them,"  dz/C.  The  Greek  for 
baptizing  is  ^anntpvxBc^  a  participle  of  the  verb 
(^umllo),  (baptizo.)  This  word  is  derived  fr(>m 
^unio)^  {bapto,)  which  primarily  means  to  clip, 
plunge,  or  immerse,  into  any  thing  liquid.  For  its 
secondary  signification,  SuTxiot  has  to  dye,  a  signi- 
fication growing  out  of  the  primary  idea,  inasmuch 
as  dyeing  was  originally  performed  by  dipping  tlie 
thing  to  be  dyed  into  the  coloring  matter.  Hence 
the  word,  in  the  first  instance,  was  used  to  desig- 
nate dyeing  by  dipping,  and  afterwards  the  sig- 
nification was  extended  so  as  to  denote  dyeing  in 
any  manner.  But  it  is  only  the  primary  significa- 
tion of  8uTZTit),  to  dip,  plunge,  immerse,  which  I  am 
to  notice,  because  it  is  in  this  signification  only, 
that  it  modifies  ^.auTilto.  This  is  apparent,  from 
the  facts,  that  ^umM  is  never  applied  to  the  ordi- 
nance of  baptism,  and  HuTiri'^oi^  never  signifies  to 
dye.  li(xnro),  (bapto,)  then,  has  two  meanings  —  the 
primary,  to  dip;  the  secondary,  #o  dye.  HutitI'Co}, 
[baptizo,)  in  the  whole  history  of  the  Greek  lan- 
guage, has  but  one  meaning.  It  signifies  to  dip  or 
immerse,  and  never  has  any  other  jneaning.  "  Each 
of  these  words,  therefore,  has  a  specific  province, 
into  which  the  other  cannot  enter ;  while  there  is 

a  common  province  in  which  either  of  them  may 
o 


14  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

serve.  Either  of  them  may  signify  to  dip,  gen- 
erally; but  the  primitive  cannot  specifically  express 
that  ordinance  to  which  the  derivative  has  been 
appropriated  ;  and  the  derivative  cannot  signify  to 
dye,  which  is  a  part  of  the  province  of  the  prim- 
itive." 

That  both  of  these  words  mean  to  dip,  plunge, 
immerse,  "  all  lexicographers  and  critics  of 
ANY  note  are  agreed,  says  Prof.  Stuart.  If 
any  person  is  disposed  to  question  this,  he  can 
satisfy  himself  by  examining  places  in  which  the 
words  occur  in  the  Greek.  In  about  two  hundred 
passages,  taken  at  random,  where  these  words  are 
employed  in  their  primary  and  proper  sense,  the 
idea  is,  in  every  instance,  to  dip,  plunge,  or  im- 
merse. I  have  already  remarked,  that,  in  addition 
to  these  significations,  ^amM  means  to  dye,  color, 
or  tinge  ;  *  and  ^amluM  signifies  only  to  immerse, 
dip,  or  plunge.  I  here  repeat  the  remark,  that,  in 
y  its  lit^rcd  and  prope?\sense,  Bamito)  never  means 
any  thing  but  to  immerse,  dip,  or  plunge;  and 
when  used  in  a  figurative  application,  the  figure 
entirely  depends,  for  its  force  and  beauty,  on  the 
primary  idea  of  immersion  or  plunging.  If  erro- 
neous, these  positions  can  easily  be  disproved  by  a 
reference  to  the  original  classics.  But,  adding  my 
own  labors  to  those  of  the  writers  whose  works  I 
have  examined,  I  have  never  been  able  to  discover 
a  single  passage  which  authorizes  me  to  abandon 
the  ground  just  taken. 

The  following  passages  may  serve  as  a  specimen 
of  the  use  of  f^anrlio)  {baptizo)  in  the  classics:  — 

*  "The  lake  was  tinged  with  his  blood."  Homer's  Bat- 
tle of  the  Frogs,  —  wh«re  (iaTiro),  not  /Jutttj'lo),  is  used. 


OF    BAPTISM.  15 

Diodorus  Siculus.  **  The  admiral's  ship  being 
SUNK,"  {bajytisthcises.) 

Lucian,  in  Timon,  the  man-hater,  makes  him 
say  •  "  If  I  should  see  any  one  floating  toward  me 
upon  the  rapid  torrent,  and  he  sliould,  with  out- 
stretched hands,  beseech  me  to  assist  him,  I  would 
thrust  him  from  me,  baptizing  (baptizoiita)  him, 
until  he  would  rise  no  more." 

Josephus,  Ant.  IX.  10,  speaking  of  the  ship  in 
which  Jonah  was,  says:  "  The  ship  being  about  to 
SINK,"  {baptize sthai.) 

Strabo,  Lib.  6,  speaking  of  a  lake  near  Agrigen- 
tum,  says:  ''Things  that  elsewhere  cannot  float, 
DO  NOT  SINK,"  (me  baptizesthai.)  In  Lib.  12,  of  a 
certain  river  he  says  :  "  If  one  shoots  an  arrow 
into  it,  the  force  of  the  water  resists  it  so  much, 
that  it  will  scarcely  sink,"  {baptizesthai.) 

Heraclides,  Allegor.  says  :  "  When  a  piece  of 
iron  is  taken  red  hot  from  the  fire,  and  plunged 
[baptizetai)  into  the  water." 

The  Scholiast  on  Pindar,  Pyth.  IL  139.  "  Like 
the  cork  of  a  net  in  the  sea,  I  am  not  plunged,  or 
SUNK,"  {baptizomai.) 

Plutarch,  Vol.  X,  p.  18.  *'  Then  plunging  {hap- 
tizown)  himself  into  the  Lake  Copais." 

Josephus,  in  the  History  of  his  own  Life,  speak- 
ing of  a  ship  which  foundered  at  sea  :  "  One  ship 
being  immersed  {baptisthcntcis)  in  the  midst  of 
the  Adriatic."  The  same  author,  Bell.  Jud.  I,, 
speaking  of  Aristobulus,  who  was  droioned  by  com- 
mand of  Herod  :  "The  boy  was  sent  to  Jericho, 
and  there  being  immersed  (baptizomenos)  in  a 
pond,  he  perished." 

Bunrl^oi)  {baptizo)  always  denotes  the  entire  im- 


16  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

mersion  of  the  person  or  thing  immersed,  unless 
there  is  an  express  limitation  to  a  part. 

Polybius,  III.  7'2.  "  The  foot  soldiers  passed 
through,  [the  water,]  scarcely  immersed  to  the 
paps.'' 

Figurative  use  of  ^ocnrl'Qoj  {haptizo)  clearly 
referring  to  the  literal  meaning,  to  plunge,  dip,  im- 
merse. 

Heliodorus,  VI.  4.  "  When  midnight  had 
PLUNGED  (ebaptizon)  the  city  in  sleep." 

Lucian,  III.  p.  81.  "He  is  like  one  dizzy  and 
BAPTIZED  or  SUNK,  (bebaptismeno,)  viz.  into  insen- 
sibility by  drinking." 

Justin  Martyr.  "  Overwhelmed  with  sins," 
{bebaptismenos. ) 

Plutarch.  "  Overwhelmed  with  debts,"  (be- 
baptismenon.) 

Chrysostom.  "  Overwhelmed  {baptizomenos) 
with  innumerable  cares." 

The  same  author  :  "  Overwhelmed  (baptizo- 
menoi)  on  all  sides  by  the  many  waves  of  business." 

Sprinkled  with  "  wine,"  with  "  sins,"  with 
"  debts,"  with  "  business,"  with  "  cares,"  would 
give  a  very  faint  idea  of  the  true  meaning  and 
force  of  the  above  expressions. 

That  the  above  view  is  correct  beyond  debate, 
will  appear  from  the  fact,  that  many  learned  men 
among  the  Pedo-baptists  themselves  have  been 
compelled  to  acknowledge  that  immersion  is  the 
exclusive  signification  of  ^ami'QM. 

Buddaeus.  "  The  word  ^rxTtTl';8iv  is  always  to 
be  interpreted  of  immersion." 

Alstidius.  "  Baml'Qpiv  signifies  only  to  im- 
merse." 


OF    BAPTISM.  17 

Altingius.  "  For  baptism  is  immersion,  when 
the  whole  body  is  inimerged  ;  but  the  term  bap- 
tism is  never  used  with  respect  to  sprinkling." 

Beza.  "  CInist  commanded  us  to  be  baptized, 
by  which  word,  it  is  certain,  immersion  is  signified. 
To  be  baptized  in  water,  signifies  no  other  than  to 
be  immersed  in  water." 

Martin  Luther.  Speaking  of  children,  he  says, 
''They  ought  to  be  completely  immersed, for  the 
etymology  of  the  icord  {baptism)  evidently  requires 

it:' 

Casaubon.  "  This  was  the  rite  of  baptizing, 
that  persons  were  plunged  into  the  water  ;  which 
the  very  word  3umi:eiu  sufficiently  declares." 

Dr.  George  Campbell,  a  Scotch  Presbyterian, 
who  has  given  us  a  valuable  translation  of  the 
Gospels,  with  learned  critical  notes.  The  word 
^uTxiic^siv^  both  in  sacred  authors  and  in  classical, 
signifies  to  dip,  to  plunge,  to  immerse.  It  is  al- 
ways construed  suitably  to  this  meaning." 

Stourdza,  a  native  Greek.  "  BaniM  has  but  one 
signification.  It  signifies  literally  and  invariably 
to  plunge." 

Buttmann,  in  his  Larger  Grammar,  simply  puts 
down,  "  Bixmot^  to  immerse." 

Augusti.  "  The  word  baptism,  according  to 
etymology  and  usage,  signifies  to  immerse,  sub- 
merge, 6lc.,  and  the  choice  of  the  word  betrays  an 
age  in  which  the  later  custom  of  sprinkling  had  not 
been  introduced." 

Bretschneider.  "A?i  entire  immersion  belongs 
to  the  nature  of  baptism.  This  is  the  meaning  of 
the  tcord."  This  writer  is  confessedly  the  most 
critical  lexicographer  of  the  New  Testament. 

Having  thus  shown,  that  Sunrllo)  (baptizo)  means, 


18  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

in  its  proper  sense,  only  to  dip,  plunge,  or  im- 
merse, I  can  by  no  means  escape  the  conclusion, 
that  the  Lord  Jesns  Christ,  in  giving  his  commis- 
sion, INTENDED  to  make  immersion  essential  to 
baptism. 

But  there  are  individuals  who  are  not  convinced 
by  the  proof  already  adduced.  In  spite  of  the 
authority  of  lexicons,  in  opposition  to  the  evidence 
of  numberless  examples  cited  from  the  original 
Greek,  and  notwithstanding  the  concessions  of  the 
most  eminent  critics,  and  even  of  learned  and 
candid  Pedo-baptists  themselves,  many  persons 
insist,  that  the  significations  above  given  to  ^unxiifa^ 
are  not  the  exclusive  meanings  of  the  word.  They 
admit  that  the  native  and  ordinary  force  of  the  word 
points  us  to  immersion  as  its  general  meaning,  but 
they  suppose  it  is  sometimes  used  in  other  senses. 
Now,  although  I  believe  these  individuals  confound 
the  original  and  proper  meaning  of  the  term  with 
various  Jigurative  applications  of  it,  yet  I  am  will- 
ing to  meet  them  on  their  own  ground  ;  for  I  con- 
tend that,  even  on  their  own  principles,  immersion 
is  necessary  to  Christian  baptism.  Well  may  our 
brethren  admit,  that  in  its  primary  and  general 
acceptation,  the  term  in  question  designates  im- 
mersion, for  in  this,  as  Prof  Stuart  says,  "  all 
lexicographers  and  critics  of  any  note  are  agreed;" 
and  no  Greek  scholar  will  hazard  his  reputation  so 
far  as  to  deny  it.  This,  then,  being  admitted,  the 
question  is,  Did  Christ,  in  the  words  of  the  commis- 
sion, employ  this  term  in  its  usnal  and  proper 
sense?  Is  there  any  thing  in  the  sacred  record  to 
suggest  the  idea  of  the  slightest  departure  from 
that  sense?  No  man  will  pretend  to  assert  it. 
The  commission  is  in  the  style  of  plain,  narrative 


OF    BAPTISM.  19 

discourse,  and  there  is  no  more  reason  for  sup- 
posing tlie  word  translated  '' bojjtizc"  to  be  used 
out  of  its  ordinary  sense,  than  for  conjecturing  that 
the  word  translated  •'  teach  "  is  turned  aside  from 
its  customary  meaning.  If  our  Saviour,  then, 
employed  words  in  their  usual  sense,  he  did  say, 
**  Go,  make  disciples  of  all  nations,  immersing 
them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,"  &,c.  What 
right,  then,  has  any  man  to  call  any  thing  besides 
immersion,  baptism  1  What  right  has  he  to  pre- 
sume that  ani/  application  of  water  will  be  accept- 
able to  the  Divine  Author  of  this  ordinance? 
Where  does  he  find  liberty  to  suppose  immersion 
is  not  the  thing  enjoined  in  the  commission,  but 
only  one  of  various  modes  of  doing  the  thing?  If 
words  have  any  meaning,  and  if  our  Saviour  em- 
ployed the  words  of  the  connuission  in  their  ordi- 
nary and  proper  sense,  then,  on  their  own  princi- 
ples, my  brethren  must  acknowledge,  that  nothing 
but  immersion  is  Christian  baptism. 

Here  I  might  stop,  and  require  those  who  dis- 
sent from  the  above  conclusions,  to  show,  that 
there  is  something  in  some  passage  of  Scripture, 
something  in  the  practice  of  Christ,  or  of  the  apos- 
tles, which  evidently  compels  us  to  depart  from  the 
ordinary  signification  of  the  word  under  considera- 
tion. Having  clearly  ascertained  the  meaning  of 
that  word,  and  having  every  reason  to  believe 
Christ  used  it  in  its  appropriate  sense,  we  are  not 
at  liberty,  in  any  case,  to  depart  from  that  sense, 
unless  it  is  evidently  impossible  that  in  that  case  it 
should  have  its  usual  signification. 

As  the  principle  of  interpretation  here  involved 
is  of  great  importance,  I  may  be  allowed  to  illus- 
trate it  by   a  familiar  example.     I  give  to  A.  B.  a 


20  MODE    AND    SUIUECTS 

promissory  note,  payable  ''  on  demand^  Now,  I 
am  bound  to  pay  the  note  tvhenevcr  presented ;  and 
I  cannot  plead  that  the  words  "on  demand" 
should  be  liberally  construed ;  that  certain  circum- 
stances make  it  j^rohahle  they  are  not  used  in  their 
ordinary  sense.  The  holder  will  justly  urge  that 
these  words  have  a  definite  and  well-ascertained 
meaning,  and  I  must  satisfy  his  claim  forthwith, 
unless  I  can  show  it  is  impossible  that  in  my  case 
the  phrase  should  be  understood  according  to  its 
usual  signification.  The  burden  of  proof  lies  on 
me,  and  I  must  make  it  evident  beyond  dispute, 
that  the  terms  cannot  possibly  have  the  customary 
sense,  or  I  shall  be  obliged  to  liquidate  the  debt. 

So  in  the  case  before  us.  It  is  not  enough  that 
there  are  apparent  improbabilities,  opposed  to  the 
customary  use  of  the  term  in  question  ;  the  ordi- 
nary force  of  it  must  be  plainly  impossible,  or  we 
must  retain  its  usual  sense.  But  no  such  impossi- 
bility exists.  On  the  contrary,  the  circumstances 
under  which  the  word  is  employed  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, the  figurative  applications  of  the  term,  and 
the  practice  of  the  entire  church  for  several  cen- 
turies after  the  Christian  era,  afford  confirmation 
strong,  that  immersion  is  the  baptism  prescribed  by 
the  great  Head  of  the  church.  I  proceed  therefore 
to  remark,  — 

II.  That  THE  PLACES  SELECTED  FOR  THE  ADMIN- 
ISTRATION OF  THE  ORDINANCE,  AND  THE  CIRCUM- 
STANCES CONNECTED  WITH  THE  INSTANCES  IN 
WHICH     IT     IS     PARTICULARLY      DESCRIBED,     clcarly 

indicate  immersion. 

"  John  the  Baptist  did  baptize  in  the  wilderness, 
*  *  *  *  and  there  went  out  unto  him  all  the  land 
of  Judea,  *  *  *  *  ai)d   were  all  baptized  of  him 


OF    BAPTISM. 


21 


in  the  river  of  Jordan."  Here  it  is  expressly 
asserted,  that  those  who  resorted  to  John  were 
baptized  by  him  in  the  river  Jordan.  Now,  even 
if,  as  some  contend,  the  preposition  hi'  [/«]  may  be 
rendered  at,  yet  why  should  John  go  to  the  river 
at  all,  "  excepting  that  immersion  was  practised?  "  * 
But  Prof.  Robinson,  a  Pedo-baptist,  and  the  learned 
author  of  the  Lexicon  of  the  New  Testament, 
translates  the  Greek  particle,  in  or  into,  in  all  the 
instances  in  which  John's  baptism  is  spoken  of. 
Christ  was  baptized  in  Jordan ;  or,  as  Prof  Rob- 
inson translates,  "  into  the  river  Jorelan."  t 

When  John  was  baptizing  in  Enon,  it  is  expressly 
stated,  that  he  chose  that  place  on  account  of  the 
facilities  there  found  for  baptizing.  John  3  :  23. 
"And  John  also  was  baptizing  in  Enon,  near  to 
Salim,  because  there  was  much  water  there  ;  and 
they  came  and  were  baptized." 

The  sense  of  the  passage  is  plain  and  obvious, 
and,  controversy  out  of  the  question,  no  difficulty 
could  have  been  raised  on  it.  But  it  has  been 
asserted  that  the  Greek  words  rendered  "  much 
water,"  being  in  the  plural,  should  be  translated 
many  waters,  and  then  the  meaning  would  be,  John 
resorted  to  this  place  because  there  were  there 
mani/  streams  or  rivulets,  which  would  accommo- 
date the  people  and  their  animals.  Suppose  it  were 
admitted  that  the  words  should  be  so  rendered,  yet 
it  would  still  remain  true,  that  John  baptized  in 
Enon,  because  there  were  many  streams  there,  and 
the  people   came   and    were   baptized — not  were 

*  Prof.  Stuart. 

t  Vide  Lex.  on  the  word  ^umitw,  2,  (a).  So  Bloom- 
field,  note  upon  the  passage. 


2^  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

accommodated.  But  the  translation  in  our  version 
is  correct,  and  not  to  be  discarded.*  See  Jer.  41  : 
12,  compared  with  2  Samuel  2  :  12,  13,  14.  On 
which  read  Robinson's  Calmet,  under  the  word 
GiBEON.  Also,  consult  Rev.  1  :  5,  19  :  6,  where 
the  same  words  are  used  to  designate  the  ocean. 

The  passage  which  next  claims  our  attention 
under  this  head,  is  found  in  Acts  8  :  36 — 39.  It 
relates  to  the  baptism  of  the  Ethiopian  eunuch  by 
Philip.  "As  they  went  on  their  way,  they  came 
unto  a  certain  water,  *  *  *  *  and  they  went  down 
both  into  the  water,  both  Philip  and  the  eunuch  ; 
and  he  baptized  him.  And  when  they  were  come 
up  out  of  the  water,  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  caught 
away  Philip." 

Now,  here  I  ask,  as  before.  Why  did  Philip  and 
the  eunuch  go  down  both  into  the  water.,  if  it  were 
not  that  he  might  immerse  him  1  But  it  is  said,  the 
preposition  here  rendered  into  is  often  translated  to, 
and  it  may  be  read,  they  went  down  both  to  the 
water.  But  1  ask  again,  Why  did  they  even  go  to 
the  water,  if  an  immersion  were  not  to  be  per- 
formed 1  It  is  customary  in  Eastern  countries  for 
travellers  to  carry  supplies  of  water  with  them. 
Especially  would  this  be  true  of  a  person  of  rank, 
like  the  eunuch,  who  would  doubtless  have  a  train 
of  attendants,  and  would  be  furnished  with  water 
abundantly  sufficient  for  sprinkling  or  pouring. 
Why,  then,  did  the  eunuch  wait,  as  they  rode  along, 
till  they  came  unto  a  certain  water?  And  why, 
when  arrived  at  that  body  of  water,  did  they  alight 
from  the  chariot,  and  go  down  both  into,  or  even 


*  So  Olshausen,  De  Wette,  Kuinoel,  Grotius,  Bloom- 
field,  and  others. 


OF    BAPTISM.  23 

to,  the  water?  It  is  difficult  to  answer  these  ques- 
tions except  by  admitting  immersion  in  this  case. 
But  the  criticism  on  the  Greek  preposition  is  desti- 
tute of  foundation.*  The  verb  here  translated 
iccnt  down,  when  followed  by  the  preposition  used 
in  this  passage,  includes,  almost  uniformly,  in  the 
New  Testament,  the  idea  of  entrance  into  the  place 
mentioned;  c.  g.,  "Jesus  went  down  to  Caper- 
naum." Is  it  not  clearly  implied,  he  went  into 
Capernaum?  "Jacob  went  down  ^o  Egypt."  Is 
it  not  meant,  he  went  into  Egypt,  and  not  merely 
to  the  borders  of  it  ?  So,  in  common  discourse,  we 
say  of  a  man.  He  has  gone  to  New  York ;  meaning 
he  has  gone  into  the  city  to  buy  goods. 

The  above  passages  very  clearly  show  how  the 
language  of  Christ  respecting  baptism  was  under- 
stood, and  strongly  support  the  sentiment  that 
immersion,  only  was  to  be  regarded  as  Christian 
baptism. 

HI.  Various  allusions  to  the  ordinance  in 
THE  Scriptures,  and  the  figurative  applica- 
tions OF  the  word  baptism,  confirm  the  justness 
of  the  position  assumed. 

The  first  passage  I  notice  is  1  Cor.  10  :  2.  "And 
were  all  baptized  unto  3Ioses  in  the  cloud  and  in 
tne  sea."  The  language  is  here  figurative,  and  is 
intended  to  represent  the  Israelites,  not  as  being 
literally  baptized,  but  as  submitting  themselves  to 
the  special  authority  and  guidance  of  Moses,  as 
Christians,  when  baptized,  submit  themselves  avow- 
edly to  Christ.     By  baptism.  Christians  avow  their 


*  Consult  Ripley's  Examination  of  Stuart,  (Boston,  1833  ;) 
also  Robinson's  Lexicon,  KuTuSairvj  («),  Ara(iuiMj)  (a)  ; 
likewise  Doddridge,  on  the  passage. 


84  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

confidence  in  Christ,  their  choice  of  him,  and  their 
subjection  to  him,  in  all  the  offices  which  he  sus- 
tains. Now,  as  Christians,  in  making  their  pro- 
fession of  allegiance  to  Christ,  are  surrounded  with 
water,  so  the  Israelites,  when  signally  showing  their 
allegiance  to  Moses,  by  passing  through  the  Red 
Sea,  were  surrounded  with  water.  The  language 
is  figurative,  and  can  be  explained  only  on  the  prin- 
ciple that  baptism  was  performed  by  immersion. 
Archbishop  Newcome  remarks,  "  They  were  fig- 
uratively and  typically  baptized  ;  they  were  led  to 
acknowledge  the  divine  mission  of  Moses,  through 
these  miracles,  expressive  of  baptism.'"  Dr.  Bloom- 
field  adds,  "  The  material  of  the  cloud  and  sea, 
being  nothing  but  water,  was  well  adapted  to  express 
this  typical  representation  of  baptism."  And  Prof. 
Stuart  admits  that  it  has  a  reference  to  "  surround- 
ing.'^ Well  may  this  admission  be  made,  the  sea 
being  on  each  side,  and  the  cloud  above  them. 
Thus  the  cloud  hung  over  their  heads,  as  the  water 
is  over  those  that  are  immersed  ;  and  the  sea  encir- 
cled them  on  every  side,  as  the  water  is  around 
those  who  are  baptized. 

In  1  Pet.  3  :  20,  21,  we  read,  ****''  when 
once  the  long-suffering  of  God  waited  in  the  days 
of  Noah,  while  the  ark  was  a-preparing,  wherein 
few,  that  is,  eight  souls,  were  saved  by  water.  The 
like  figure  whereunto,  even  baptism,  doth  also  now 
save  us  *  *  *  *  by  the  resurrection  of  Christ." 
Bloomfield  gives  the  sense  of  the  latter  part  of  the 
passage  thus  :  *'  The  antitype  to  which  thing  (name- 
ly, what  corresponds  to,  and  was  figured  by,  the 
preservation  of  Noah  and  his  family  in  the  ark) 
doth  now  save  us  [place  us  in  a  state  of  salvation] 
through  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  as  the  ark  did 


OF    BAl'TISM.  25 

tkcm.  I  mean  baptism."  Here  the  situation  of 
Noah  and  Ins  family,  shut  up  in  the  ark,  floating 
on  the  waters  of  the  great  deep,  and  drenched  by 
the  mighty  torrents  which  fell  when  the  windows  of 
heaven  were  opened,  is  mentioned  by  the  apostle 
as  an  emblem  of  baptism.  This  allusion  cannot  be 
satisfactorily  explained,  unless  the  reference  in  the 
passage  is  to  immersion. 

Another  figurative  application  of  the  term  is 
found  in  the  words  of  our  Saviour,  Luke  12  :  50. 
"  1  have  a  baptism  to  be  baptized  w^ith,  and  how 
am  I  straitened  till  it  be  accomplished  !  "  The  sense 
is,  "I  am  about  to  be  ovcrichehncd  with  sufferings, 
and  I  am  greatly  distressed  with  the  prospect  of 
them."* 

So  in  Mark  10  :  aS,  39.  ''  Are  ye  able  to  drink 
of  the  cup  that  I  must  drink,  and  to  be  baptized 
with  the  baptism  with  which  I  am  baptized  ?  "  The 
sense  is  the  same  as  in  the  last  passage  :  "  Can  ye 
indeed  take  upon  you  to  undergo,  patiently  and 
submissively,  sufferings  like  to  mine  —  sufferings 
of  an  overwhelming  and  dreadful  nature?  "t  The 
intense  and  overwhelming  sufferings  endured  by 
the  Saviour  in  Gethsemane,  and  on  the  cross,  point 
us  at  once  to  the  radical  meaning  of  the  word  he 
employed.  It  is  a  wrrd  strongly  expressive  of  the 
greatness  and  abundance  of  the  agonies  he  endured. 
We  see  the  Redeemer  "  sunk  in  deep  waters  of 
affliction;"  "the  waves  and  billows  of  anguish  roll 
over  him,"  and  any  idea  short  of  a  complete  immer- 
sion is  tame  and  insipid.  Hence  Cam.pbell  trans- 
lates, "  I  have  an  immersion  to  undergo,  and  how  I 
am  pained  till  it  be   accomplished!"      And   Dod- 

*  Prof.  Stuart.  f  Prof.  Stuart. 

3 


26  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

dridge :  "  I  have  a  baptism  to  be  baptized  with,  i.  e., 
I  shall  shortly,  as  it  were,  be  bathed  in  blood,  and 
plunged  in  the  most  overwhelming  distress." 

The  last  passage  which  I  shall  refer  to  under  the 
present  head,  is  found  in  Rom.  6:3,  4 :  "  Know 
ye  not  that  so  many  of  us  as  were  baptized  into 
Jesus  Christ,  were  baptized  into  his  death?  There- 
fore   WE    ARE    BURIED    WITH    HIM    BY    BAPTISM    iutO 

death;  that,  like  as  Christ  was  raised  up  from  the 
dead,  by  the  glory  of  the  Father,  even  so  we  also 
should  walk  in  newness  of  life."  This  passage  has 
always  been  supposed  to  have  an  important  bearing 
on  the  subject  before  us,  and  no  wonder,  when  it 
is  conceded  by  eminent  Pedo-baptists  themselves, 
that  "  the  mass  of  unprejudiced  readers "  would 
perceive  in  it  "  an  allusion  to  the  practice  of  bap- 
tizing by  immersion."  *  Believing  it  to  be  decisive 
in  its  character,  I  shall  endeavor  fully  to  illustrate 
its  meaning  and  force. 

"  The  expressions  baptized  into  Jesus  Christy 
and  baptized  into  his  death,  require  explanation. 
The  first,  baptized  into  Jesus  Christ,  means  to  be 
baptized  into  an  acknowledgment  of  Jesus  Christ, 
with  an  implication  of  subjection,  or  discipleship, 
to  him.  So  to  be  baptized  into  the  death  of  Christ, 
is  to  be  baptized  into  an  acknowledgment  of  his 
death,  and  into  an  acknoidedgment  of  the  obliga- 
tions resulting  from  that  death'' 

"  The  design  of  the  apostle  in  the  first  part  of 
the  chapter  was,  to  meet  an  objection  which  might 
be  raised  against  the  statements  of  the  preceding 
chapter.  In  that  chapter  he  had  largely  shown  that 
the  grace  of  God  vastly  siiperabounds  over  the  sins 

*  Barnes's  note. 


OF    BAPTISM.  27 

of  men,  and  that  the  abounding  of  sin  had  proved 
an  occasion  of  the  superabounding  of  divine  grace. 
If  this  be  the  case,  some  one  miglit  say.  May  we 
not  still  go  on  to  sin,  so  that  God's  grace  may  be 
still  more  abundantly  exhibited?  The  apostle's 
reply  is    very    simple.     It  consists  of  two  parts  — 

1.  The  internal  character  of  Christians  forbids  such 
an  objection  :   they  are  dead  to  the  influence  of  sin. 

2.  Their  external  profession  of  Christianity  opposes 
it :  bi/  their  very  baptism,  they  have,  as  being  dead 
to  sin,  symbolically  been  buried  and  raised  up  again, 
thus  making  an  acknowledgment  that,  as  Christ 
was  buried  and  rose  again  to  a  heavenly  life,  so 
they,  as  his  followers,  having  by  baptism  been 
buried  and  raised  again,  were  bound  to  lead  a  new, 
a  spiritual  life." 

"  It  is  contended  that  the  burying  mentioned  by 
the  apostle  is  not  an  external  one,  but  an  internal, 
a  moral  burying.  This  opinion  seems  effectually 
opposed  by  the  circumstance,  that  the  burying  is 
performed  by  baptism,  an  external  rite.  The  prep- 
osition which  is  here  employed  in  the  original,  leads 
us  to  this  view.  It  is  [dK'x  wv  SixTTTtauaTo^'j  by  bap- 
tism, that  we  are  buried,  not  at  our  baptism.  It  is 
not  that  baptism  merely  furnished  a  suitable  occa- 
sion for  showing  our  being  wholly  disinclined  to 
sin,  so  that,  when  we  professed  Christianity,  we 
might  be  said  to  be  buried  with  respect  to  sin ;  but 
baptism  is  here  represented  as  the  very  thing,  the 
very  instrument,  or  more  properly  the  very  act,  by 
which,  or  by  means  of  which,  we  were  buried. 
The  apostle  seems  to  present  two  things,  a  death 
and  a  burial,  which  are  clearly  kept  distinct ;  and 
the  burial  is  an  external  thing,  consisting  in  the 
fact,  that  we  have  been  baptized  into  an  acknowl- 


^  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

edgment  of  Christ's  death.  To  continue  in  sin, 
then,  would  be  inconsistent  with  our  character  and 
our  religious  profession.  The  apostle  says  that, 
besides  having  become  dead  to  sin,  (viz.,  at  our 
conversion,)  we  have  also  been  buried  by  baptism 
into  an  acknowledgment  of  Christ's  death.  If  the 
apostle  had  merely  said,  we  are  dead  and  buried  in 
respect  to  sin,  omitting  the  ivords  by  baptism,  his 
language  would  require  a  different  interpretation. 
But  the  apostle  himself  explains  what  he  means  by 
burying,  when  he  adds,  by  baptism."  * 

So  Prof  Chase.  "  Buried  with  him  by  baptism. 
Buried  with  him  —  hoio  ?  By  baptism,  the  apostle 
answers.  In  or  by  baptism,  then,  Paul,  and  the 
Christians  whom  he  addresses,  were  buried.  To  be 
crucified  to  the  world,  or  dead  to  sin,  is  the  char- 
acter of  the  Christian  ;  but  to  be  buried  with  Christ 
by  baptism,  is  the  appointed  emblematical pro/esszow 
of  that  character.  The  apostle  does  not  teach  that 
believers  are  crucijied  with  Christ,  or  are  dead  with 
him,  or  possess  a  mortified  temper,  by  baptism.  To 
have  such  a  state  of  soul,  to  be  dead  in  respect  to 
sin,  is  one  thing ;  and  to  be  buried  with  Christ  by 
baptism,  is  quite  a  different  thing ;  for  this  is  exter- 
nal, whereas  the  other  is  internal.  The  one  is  a 
sign ;  the  other,  the  thing  signified."  t 

To  sustain  the  interpretation  given  above,  the 
opniions  of  several  distinguished  Pedo-baptist  wri- 
ters may  be  cited. 

Rosenmueller,  on  the  passage.  "  Immersion  in 
the  water  of  baptism,  and  coming  forth  out  of  it, 
was  a  symbol  of  a  person's  renouncing  his  former 


*  Ripley's  Examination. 

t  Sermon  before  the  Boston  Association,  1828. 


OF    BAPTISM.  29 

life,  and,  on  the  contrary,  beginning  a  new  one. 
The  learned  have  rightly  reminded  us  that,  on  ac- 
count of  this  emblematical  meaning  of  baptism,  the 
rite  of  immersion  ought  to  have  been  retained  in  the 
Christian  rhurch." 

Martin  Luther,  after  speaking  of  baptism  as  a 
symbol  of  death  and  resurrection,  says:  **  On  this 
account,  I  could  wish  that  such  as  are  to  be  bap- 
tized should  be  completely  immersed  into  tcater, 
according  to  the  meaning  of  the  word,  and  the  sig- 
nification  of  the    ordinance ;    as  also,    without 

DOUBT,    IT    was    instituted    BY    ClIRIST." 

Dr.  Knapp,  an  eminent  and  pious  German  divine, 
whose  works  are  recommended  by  Dr.  Woods, 
speakinir  of  the  passage  in  question,  thus  expresses 
the  apostle's  idea :  "  We  are^  like  Christ,  buried 
as  dead  persons,  by  baptism,  and  should  arise,  like 
him,  to  a  new  life."  He  adds,  "  The  image  is 
taken  here  from  baptized  persons,  as  they  were 
immerged,  (buried,)  and  as  they  emerged,  (rose 
again.)" 

Dr.  Blnomfield,  one  of  the  most  profound  living 
biblical  scholars  of  Great  Britain,  and  highly  com- 
mended by  Prof  Stuart  as  a  learned  and  judicious 
critic,  gives  this  paraphrase  of  the  words  "  buried 
with  him  by  baptism:"  "  TFe  have  been  thus 
buried  in  the  waters  of  baptisrn."  He  adds,  "  There 
is  a  plain  allusion  to  the  ancient  custom  of  baptism 
by  immersion." 

Coincident  with  these  views  is  the  unanimous 
testimony  of  learned  men,  and  the  universal  belief 
of  private  Christians,  in  all  countries  and  in  every 
age,  from  the  time  of  Paul  to  the  present  day.  The 
notion  of  a  "  moral  burying  "  is  a  modern  inven- 
tion, adopted  by  very  ^e\\  interpreters ;  an  expedient 
3* 


30  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

which  would  seem  to  be  suggested  by  despair,  with 
the  hope  of  getting  rid  of  the  irresistible  evidence 
furnished  by  this  passage  in  favor  of  immersion. 
And  here  the  rellections  of  another  are  truly  im- 
portant. This  passage,  in  connection  with  the  par- 
allel text,  Col.  2  :  12,  may  be  said  to  contain  God's 
own  explanation  of  his  own  ordinance.  And  here 
we  may  admire  the  divine  wisdom  and  goodness. 
The  mass  of  readers  do  not  understand  the  original, 
and  translators  of  the  Bible,  by  adopting,  not  trans- 
lating, the  Greek  words  baptize  and  baptism,  have 
hidden  the  meaning  from  the  multitude.  But  the 
evidence  from  these  passages  cannot  be  hid — it  is 
obvious  to  the  most  unlearned,  and  the  words, 
"  Buried  with  Christ  by  baptism,"  may  continue 
to  make,  as  a  Pedo-baptist  writer  says  they  have 
heretofore  made,  "  more  Baptists  than  any  other 
passage  in  the  Bible."  The  Spirit  of  God,  through 
this  commentary  of  the  great  apostle,  enables  all 
men  to  judge  for  themselves  in  this  matter.  While 
the  learned  are  contending  about  the  meaning  of 
^uml'co),  (baptizo,)  and  the  force  of  certain  Greek 
prepositions,  let  those  who  are  unacquainted  with 
the  original  turn  to  these  allusions  to  the  ordinance, 
and  they  will  here  see  the  definition  which  the 
Holy  Ghost  himself  has  given  to  the  words  in 
debate. 

IV.  Finally,  we  find  a  strong  confirmation  of  the 
position  originally  taken,  in  the  fact,  that  the 
EARLY  Christians  understood  the  words  of  the 
Saviour  to  require  immersion,  and  they  prac- 
tised ACCORDINGLY. 

I  will  here  make  a  remark  on  the  nature  and 
value  of  the  argument  from  church  history.  We 
by  no  means  place  our  chief  dependence  on  this. 


OP    BAPTISM.  31 

We  regard  the  Biele  as  our  only  and  sufficient 
rule  of  faith  ca-d  practice  :  and,  as  before  stated,  to 
our  own  minds  tlie  directions  of  the  word  of  God 
on  this  subject  are  perfectly  clear.  But  the  prac- 
tice of  the  Christians  who  immediately  succeeded  the 
apostles,  shows  hoio  they  understood  the  instructions 
cf  the  apostles  themselves,  who  regulated  their  prac- 
tice by  the  teachings  of  their  Lord  and  Master, 
Jesus  Christ. 

Barnabas,   the  companion  of  Paul,*  says  in  his  i 
Epistle,  speaking  of  baptism,  "  We  descend  into  the 
water,  and  come  out  of  it.'' 

In  the  Pastor  of  Hennas,  saluted  by  Paul,t  we 
read,  "  Men  descend  into  the  loater,  hound  to  death  ; 
but  ascend  out  of  it,  scaled  to  life." 

Justin  Martyr.  "  Those  icho  believe  are  led  to 
some  jjldce  ichere  there  is  water,  and  then  bathe  in 
the  icatcr." 

In   another  place,  he  says  :  ''  We  represent  our   i 
Lord's  sufferings  and  resurrection   by  baptism  in  a 
poof 

TertulJian.  *'  We  are  immersed  in  loater,"  — 
'^  let  down  into  the  ivater  and  dipped,"  —  ^^  Peter 
immersed  in  the  Tiber." 

Diouysius  Areopag.  "  The  total  concealment 
in  water  fitly  represents  Christ's  death  and  burial." 

Apostolic  Constitutions,  (probably  written  in  the 
fourth  century.)  "  Baptism  relates  to  the  death  of 
Christ :  the  ivater  ansioers  to  the  grave ;  the  z'mmer- 
sion  represents  our  dying  with  him,  [Christ ;]  the 
fmersion  our  rising  with  him." 

Photius.  "  The  three  immersions  ^nA  emersions 
of  baptism  signify  death  and  resurrection." 

*  Acts  13  :  2.  t  Rom.  16  :  14. 


32  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

Chrysostom.  ''  We,  as  in  a  sepulchre,  immers' 
ing  our  heads  in  water,  the  old  man  is  buried  and 
sinking  down ;  the  whole  is  concealed  at  once  ;  then, 
as  we  emerge,  the  new  man  again  rises." 

Jerome,     "  Three  times  we  are  immerged"  &c. 

Augustine.  "  Rightly  are  ye  i?nmerged  three 
tinges,  who  have  received  baptism  in  the  name  of 
Christ." 

In  short,  from  the  days  of  the  apostles  down- 
wards, for  1300  years,  we  have  an  unbroken  chain 
of  evidence,  showing  that  baptism  was  performed 
by  immersion,  and  bi/  immersion  only.  To  this 
there  is  only  one  apparent  exception,  viz.,  in  case 
of  extreme  sickness  and  danger  of  death.  In  this 
case,  immersion  being  impracticable,  persons  re- 
ceived a  substitute  for  baptism,  by  pouring  or  sprin- 
kling. Yet  this  was  never  regarded  as  regular  bap- 
tism ;  but  as  baptism  was  then  supposed  to  be 
essential  to  salvation,  the  sprinkling  or  pouring  of 
water  was  permitted  as  a  substitute  for  the  gospel 
ordinance,  and  it  was  hoped,  that,  by  the  indulgence 
of  God,  it  would  be  accepted,  and  the  soul  of  the 
person  poured  upon  or  sprinkled  would  be  saved. 
This  practice,  however,  in  the  early  ages  of  the 
church,  was  never  defended  on  the  ground  of  tra- 
dition or  of  apostolic  usage.  It  was  considered  as 
wholly  without  authority  from  the  Head  of  the 
church,  and  resorted  to  only  from  the  exigency  of 
the  case,  baptism  being  regarded  as  necessary  to 
salvation. 

These  opinions  are  supported  by  the  modern 
critics  of  Germany.  The  testimony  of  these  illus- 
trious men  deserves  the  most  serious  attention,  not 
only  on  account  of  their  impartiality,  as  they  have 
no  interest  in  the   controversy,  but  also  from  the 


OF    BAPTISM.  33 

fact  that  they  are  of  the  very  highest  authority  in 
language  and  antiquities. 

Neander.    *'  Baptism   was   originally    hy  immer-  »  j 
sion.      To  this  form    various  comparisons  of  the  ' 
apostle  Paul  allude." 

Tholuck,  on  Rom.  6:4.    ''  In  order  to  under- 
stand the  figurative  use  of  baptism,  we  must  bear  , 
in  mind  the  well-hioion  fact,  that  the  candidate  in  ? 
the  primitive  church  icas  immersed  in  water,  and 
raised  out  of  it  again." 

Winer.  "  In  the  apostolic  age,  baptism  was  hy 
immersion." 

Bretschneider.    "  The  apostolic  church  baptized  ' 
only  by  immersion." 

Schleusner,  Wahl,  and  Bretschneider,  the  three 
great  New  Testament  lexicographers  of  Germany, 
limit  baptism,  as  a  sacred  ordinance,  to  immersion. 

Hahn.     ^'-According   to   apostolical    instruction'^    ? 
and  example,  baptism  was  performed  by  immersing^ 
the  ichole  body." 

Prof  Lange.  "  Baptism,  in  the  apostolic  age, 
was  a  proper  baptism  —  the  immersion  of  the  whole 
body  in  water.  Plunging  under  toater  represents 
death,  and  rising  out  of  it,  the  resurrection  to  a 
new  life."  ^ 

Fritsch.       "With    infant  baptism,    still  another  .  t 
change  in  the  outward  form  of  baptism  was  intro- 
duced—  that  of  sprinkling  with  water,  instead  of  the 
former  practice  of  immersion." 

After  these  testimonies,  you  will  be  prepared  to 
appreciate   the    concession    of  Prof    Stuart,  who, 
quoting  Augusti,  says  :  **  It  is  a  thing  made  out," 
viz.,  the  ancient  practice  of  immersion.  "  I  know,", 
continues   Prof    Stuart,  "  of  no  one  usage  whichj    • 
seems  to  be  more  clearly  and  certainly  made  out.' 


34 


MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 


I  cannot  see  how  it  is  possible  for  any  candid  man, 
who  examines  this  subject,  to  deny  this." 

It  may  be  added  that  the  inhabitants  of  Greece, 
who  certainly  ought  to  understand  iheir  own  lan- 
guage, from  the  first  introduction  of  the  gospel  into 
that  country  to  the  present  time,  have  uniformly 
baptized  by  immersion.  Indeed,  all  the  Christians 
in  Asia,  all  in  Africa,  and  about  one  third  part  of 
Europe,  still  retain  the  rite  as  observed  by  the 
apostles  and  early  Christians.  Nay,  more ;  the 
whole  Christian  world,  for  the  space  of  thirteen 
hundred  years,  practised  immersion,  as  the  only 
real  baptism.  Never,  by  any  Christians,  in  any 
age,  was  sprinkling  or  pouring  allowed,  in  ordinary 
cases,  until  the  meeting  of  the  council  of  Ravenna, 
assembled  by  the  pope  in  1311.  These  substitu- 
tions for  the  gospel  ordinance  were  not  admitted 
into  England  till  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth 
century. 

If  we  would  know  how  sprinkling  was  introduced, 
we  are  informed  by  the  celebrated  Dr.  Wall,  (a  Pe- 
do-baptist,)  in  his  History  of  Infant  Baptism.  He 
says  :  "  France  seems  to  have  been  the  first  country 
in  the  world  where  baptism  by  aff'usion  was  used 
ordinarily  to  persons  in  health,  and  in  the  public 
way  of  administering  it.  In  the  church  of  England, 
it  being  allowed  to  weak  children  (in  the  reign  of 
Queen  Elizabeth)  to  be  baptized  by  affusion,  many 
fond  ladies  and  gentlewomen  first,  and  afterwards, 
by  degrees,  the  common  people,  would  obtain  the 
favor  of  the  priest  to  have  their  children  pass-  for 
weak  children,  too  tender  to  endure  dipping  in  the 
water.  As  for  sprinkling,  properly  called,  it  seems 
\  it  was,  at  1645,  just  then  beginning,  and  used  by 
\    very  few.     They   (the  Westminster  Assembly  of 


OF    BAPTISM.  35 

divines)  reformed  the  font  into  a  basin.  This 
learned  Assembly  could  not  remember  that  fonts 
to  baptize  in  had  been  always  used  by  the  primitive 
Christians,  long  before  the  beginning  of  Popery, 
and  ever  since  churches  were  built ;  but  that  sprin- 
kling was  really  introduced  (in  France  first,  and 
then  in  other  Popish  countries)  in  times  of  Popery; 
and  that,  accordingly,  all  those  countries  in  which 
the  usurped  power  of  the  pope  is,  or  has  been  for- 
merly, owned,  have  left  off  dipping  children  in  the 
font ;  but  that  all  other  countries  in  the  world  lohich 
had  never  regarded  his  authority,  do  still  use  it." 

Thus  we  see  that  sprinkling  was  originally  in- 
troduced in  France  in  1311,  by  the  Catholics, 
under  the  direction  of  a  Popish  council ;  yet  immer- 
sion was  retained  in  England  for  more  than  300 
years  longer;  till,  in  the  progress  of  the  reforma- 
tion there,  the  Protestants,  supposing  the  fonts  in 
the  churches,  and  the  practice  of  immersion,  to  be 
usages  of  Popery,  decided  that  "  dipping  of  the 
person  in  water  is  not  necessary." 

I  have  now  finished  the  view  proposed  to  be 
taken,  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  the  position, 

that  IMMERSION  IS  ESSENTIAL  TO  CHRISTIAN  BAP- 
TISM. It  has  been  shown  that  the  word  employed 
by  the  Saviour  in  the  commission,  signifies,  in  its 
usual  and  proper  sense,  only  to  immerse,  dip,  or 
plunge;  it  appears  from  the  places  selected  for  the 
administration  of  the  ordinance,  and  from  attending 
circumstances,  that  immersion  was  always  prac- 
tised by  those  who  baptized  under  the  direction  of 
Christ ;  it  is  also  apparent,  from  the  figurative  uses 
of  the  word  baptism,  and  from  various  allusions  by 
the  writers  of  the  New  Testament,  that  they  con- 
sidered  immersion  as  belonging  to  the  nature  of 


tJO  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

baptism;  and  finally,  the  correctness  of  this  view  is 
most  strikingly  contirmed  by  the  fact,  that  the  entire 
church  of  Christ,  during  a  period  of  1300  yearsy 
did  practise  immersion.  Are  we,  then,  at  liberty 
to  substitute  any  thing  else  for  the  rite  enjoined  on 
us  by  the  Lord  Jesus  ? 

But  it  is  said  this  view  of  the  subject  is  incom- 
plete ;  there  are  certain  places  in  the  Scriptures  in 
.which  some  form  of  the  word  baptize  is  mentioned, 
j  and  others  where  the  ordinance  is  named,  which 
Imake  it  ve?y  improbable  that  an  immersion  was 
either  positively  enjoined  or  invariably  practised. 
A  notice  of  these  may  be  introduced  by  a  single 
remark.  Remembering  the  evidence  which  has 
been  adduced  to  show  that  the  word  in  question 
must  mean  immersion,  we  are  not  permitted  to  assign 
I  to  it  any  other  meaning,  unless,  in  a  given  case, 
\immersion  be  impossible.  "  When  a  thing  is  proved 
by  sufficient  evidence,  no  objection  from  difficulties 
can  be  admitted  as  decisive,  except  they  involve  an 
impossibility."  Those,  then,  who  would  render  the 
term  in  debate  ivashing,  or  pouring,  or  sprinkling, 
must  prove  not  only  that  the  idea  of  immersion  is 
improbable,  but  that  it  is  manifestly  impossible. 
But  this  cannot  be  shown  respecting  a  single  instance 
in  which  the  word  occurs.  The  passages  generally 
brought  forward  as  unfavorable  to  the  idea  of  im- 
mersion, are  the  following  :  — 

Heb.  9  ;  10.  "  Only  in  meats,  and  drinks,  and 
divers  washings." 

That  the  word  here  translated  "washings" 
should  have  been  rendered  immersions,  is  evident 
from  the  conclusions  established  under  the  first 
head  of  the  former  part  of  this  discourse.  Im- 
mersions were  frequent  among  (he  Jews,  in  accord- 


OF    r.APTlSM.  37 

ance  with  the  Mosaic_ritQal*y  If  the  word  in  the 
origin al  refer  to  various  purifications  of  things 
only,  then,  by  a  well-known  rhetorical  figure, 
taking  a  part  for  the  ichole,  immersions  may  be 
used  for  the  several  kinds  of  ablutions  required  by 
the  law.  Thus  the  primary  meaning  is  clearly 
NOT  IMPOSSIBLE,  in  ihis  case.  Prof.  Robinson 
translates  the  word  '*  washings,"  but  refers  to  Lev. 
11  :  32,  where  various  things  were  to  be  cleansed 
by  being  "  put  into  water."  This  shows  that 
the  learned  professor  supposed  immersions  to  be 
meant  by  the  apostle.  Others  explain  the  term 
(livers  baptisms,  as  being  "  of  wzc/i  and  of  things." 
Jf  this  be  the  sense,  no  one  will  object  to  the  idea 
of  immersion. 

Mark  7:4.  *'  The  washings  of  cups,  and  pots, 
and  brazen  vessels,  and  tables,"  (couches.) 

It  is  supposed  to  be  altogether  unlikely  that 
the  couches,  (for  so  the  word  rendered  '*  tables" 
should  be  translated,)  on  which  they  reclined  at 
meals,  should  be  immersed.  But  Prof.  Robinson 
gives  his  views  of  the  mode  of  washing,  by  quoting, 
as  before,  Lev.  1 1 :  32.  —  showing  that  he  under- 
stands all  these  articles  were  ^^put  into  loater." 
Things  which  had  been  defiled  by  the  touch  of  a 
dead  body  were  required  by  the  Levitical  law  to 
be  cleansed,  '*  by  being  put  into  water  ;  "  and  how 
ea^ily_jui^ht  the  superstitious  Jews  extend  the 
practice  to  things  not  included  in  the  requisition  ! 
The  rules  in  force  among  the  Jews  are  precise  in 
requiring  such  articles  as  the  above  to  be  cleansed, 
by  being  covered  in  water ;  and  the  regulations 
are  exceedingly  strict  with  respect  to  this  washirg, 
so  that,  should  there  be  anij  thing  adhering  to  these 
articles,  such  as  pitch,  ichirh  might  prevent  the 
4 


38 


MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 


water  from  touching  the  laood  in  a  particular  spot, 
the  icashijig  loould  not  be  duly  performed.  The 
same  Jewish  authority  requires  even  befis  to  be 
cleansed  by  immersion,  when  they  had  become  de- 
filed. It  is  not,  then,  even  "  improbable "  that 
*'  the  couches  "  were  immersed, 

Mark  7:  3,  4.  "  For  the  Pharisees,  and  all  the 
Jews,  except  they  wash  their  hands  oft,  eat  not, 
holding  the  tradition  of  the  elders.  And  when 
they  come  from  the  market,  except  they  wash,  they 
eat  not."  The  latter  of  the  two  words,  rendered 
**  wash,"  is  in  the  original  from  {■iuTui'ZLo,  [baptizo;) 
the  former  is  not. 

It  is  asked.  Does  not  the  word  here  mean  ivash  1 
I  answer,  Is  it  not  possible  that  it  may  mean  im- 
merse ?  If  so,  this  is  all  I  am  bound  to  prove. 
Let  us  examine  the  passage.  "  Here  are  t-wo  in- 
stances of  washing,  (so  called;)  the  first,  a  matter 
of  constant  occurrence;  the  second,  an  observance 
performed  after  returning  from  the  market.  Did 
these  two  washings  differ  from  one  another  in  any 
respect  1  It  is  evident  that  they  did.  For,  first, 
one  was  a  washing  which  commonly  occurred  be- 
fore a  meal,  without  regard  to  the  employment 
which  had  preceded  it ;  so  that,  even  if  a  person 
had  remained  at  home,  still,  before  taking  his  meal, 
he  would  wash  his  hands.  The  other  was  a  cere- 
mony performed  after  having  been  exposed  to  the 
various  occasions  of  defilement,  which  would  be 
connected  with  his  attendance  at  market.  Such 
was  the  variety  of  persons  and  things  with  which 
he  might  come  in  contact,  that  a  more  formal  and 
thorough  ablution  would  naturally  be  performed. 
In  examining  the  whole  passage,  the  attentive 
reader  will  perceive  an  advance  in  the  thought. 
If,  ordinarily,  the  hands  were  washed  before  eating, 


OP    BAPTISM.  «fi| 

the  reader  is  prepared  to  hear  that,  after  returning 
from  a  mixed  crowd  of  people,  something  different 
from,  or  additional  to,  this  washing  was  performed. 

"In  the  second  place,  two  different  Greek  words 
are  employed  to  express  the  washing  in  the  two  dif- 
ferent cases.  The  former  is  the  word  usually  em- 
ployed when  only  a  washing  of  a  part  of  the  body, 
as  the  hands,  face,  or  feet,  is  performed  ;  the  atter 
is  used  to  denote  the  washing  of  the  whole  body 
by  immersion.*  The  passage  should  be  thus  trans- 
lated :  '  For  the  Pharisees  and  all  tlie  Jews,  except 
they  wash  their  hands  oft,  eat  not ;  And  when  they 
come  from  the  market,  except  they  bathe  them- 
selves, they  eat  not.'  This  was  the  opinion  of 
Vatablus,  a  distinguished  professor  of  Hebrew  at 
Pans.  He  says,  on  this  passage,  '  They  cleansed 
themselves  more  carefully  from  defilement  con- 
tracted at  the  market,  to  wit,  by  not  only  washing 
their  hands,  but  even  by  immersing  their  body.' 
For  these  numerous  immersions,  the  Jews  had  the 
most  convenient  arrangements,  and  their  mode  of 
dress  would  render  the  practice  less  burdensome 
than  it  would  be  with  us."  t 

Luke  11  :  3S.  ''  And  when  the  Pharisee  saw  it, 
he  marvelled  that  he  had  not  first  washed  before 
diimer." 

After  what  has  been  said  above,  this  passage  will 
present  no  difficulty.  By  the  preceding  part  of  the 
chapter,  it  appears  that  our  Lord  and  his  host  had 
been  exposed  to  a  great  mixture  of  company,  and 
therefore  needed,  in  the  judgment  of  the  Pharisee, 
the  more  formal  and  thorough  sort  of  washing. 
Bruce,  the  celebrated  traveller,  informs  us  that,  in 

*  Robinson's  Lex.  /?a/rTttaj,  1 ;  defin.  2:  remark.  Comp. 

t  Ripley. 


40  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

Abyssinia,  the  sect  called  Kemmont  "  wash  them- 
selves from  head  to  foot  after  coming  from  the 
market,  or  any  public  place,  where  they  may  have 
touched  any  one  of  a  different  sect  from  their  own, 
deeming  all  such  unclean."  Is  it  strange,  then,  to 
find  the  superstitious  and  self-righteous  Pharisees 
immersing  their  couches  for  purification,  or  them- 
selves, after  mingling  in  a  crowd  at  the  market  or 
elsewhere? 

Matt.  3:11.  *'  I  indeed  baptize  you  with  water 
unto  repentance  :  but  he  that  cometh  after  me  is 
mightier  than  I,  whose  shoes  I  am  not  worthy  to 
bear  :  he  shall  baptize  you  with  the  Holy  Ghost 
and  with  fire." 

It  is  thought  ^uTTTt'Co),  [baptizo,)  in  the  latter  part 
of  this  verse,  and  in  the  parallel  passages,  cannot 
with  propriety  be  translated  immerse.  But  the  dif- 
ficulty is  imaginary,  and  the  word  immerse  ought 
to  have  been  used  by  our  translators.  The  Greek 
preposition,  translated  in  the  common  version 
"with^' I  is  sv^  [in,]  and  should  have  been  so  ren- 
dered. Thus  Prof  Robinson  translates :  *'  He 
shall  baptize  [immerse]  you  in  the  Holy  Ghost 
and  in  fire."  The  meaning  of  the  phrase  is,  "  He 
shall  overwhelm,  or  richly  furnish,  you  with  spiritual 
gifts,  or  overwhelm  with  fire  everlasting."  Now, 
immerse  is  the  only  English  word  that  can  properly 
be  employed  here  to  express  the  copiousness  of  the 
communication  of  divine  influences,  and  the  se- 
verity of  punishment.  To  immerse  in  the  influences 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.,  and  to  immerse  in  fire,  is  cor- 
rect and  intelligible  language;  but  to  pour  in  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  to  sprinkle  in  the  Holy  Ghost  and 
in  fire,  is  both  incorrect  and  unintelligible.  No- 
tice, also,  Christ's  language,  Luke  12:  50,  already 
quoted :  "  I  have  a  baptism  to  be  baptized  with, 


OF    BAPTISM.  41 

and  how  am  I  straitened  till  it  be  accomplished  !  " 
that  is,  I  have  an  imnif^rsion  in  sufieriiigs  to  under- 
go, and  how  am  I  pained  till  it  be  ended  !  Exactly 
so,  we  say,  to  iitwicrsc  in  cares ;  he  is  immersed  in 
pleasure,  &/C. 

Acts  10 :  47.  "  Can  any  man  forbid  water,  that 
these  should  not  be  baptized  ?  " 

It  is  asked.  May  not  this  mean.  Can  any  man 
forbid  ivater  to  be  brought  in  ?  &c.  I  reply,  the 
import  of  the  question  is  simply  this  :  Can  any  one. 
forbid  the  baptism  of  these  persons^  "  who  have 
received  the  Holy  Ghost  as  well  as  we  ?  "  The 
word  "  baptized,"  then,  must  in  ihis  place  have  its 
usual  sense,  immersed. 

Acts  16  :  33,  the  case  of  the  jailer.  Prof  Stuart 
allows  the  "possibility"  of  there  having  been  a 
"bath"  in  the  jail,  in  which  the  keeper's  family 
were  immersed.  This  "  possibility "  is  all  that 
need  be  asked.  But  this  narrative  not  only  does 
not  present  any  objection  to  the  idea  of  immersion ; 
It  furnishes  positive  evidence  in  its  favor.  The 
followincT  appears  to  have  been  the  order  of  events ; 
Paul  and  Silas  were  thrust  into  the  inner  prison; 
an  earthquake  occurred;  the  jailer  sprang  in,  and 
fell  down  before  Paul  and  Silas ;  he  brought  them 
out  [of  the  prison  ;]  they  speak  to  him  and  to  all 
that  ivcre  in  his  house ;  he  then  washed  their 
stripes ;  baptism  was  next  performed ;  and  after 
baptism,  the  company  returned  to  the  house,  (v.  34.) 
After  instruction,  then,  had  been  given  in  the 
house,  baptism  was  performed  ;  and  after  baptism, 
the  company  rt turned  to  the  house.  Did  they  not 
leave  the  house,  in  order  that  baptism  might  be 
administered?     And  why  did  the  administration  of 

baptism  require  them  to  leave  the  house,  if  it  were 

4# 


^ 


MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 


not  that  they  might  go  to  a  hath  or  other  place  con- 
veniejit for  immersion? 

Acts  22  :  16.  *  *  *  *  "  arise  and  be  baptized, 
and  wash  away  thy  sins." 

Is  not  baptism  here  called  the  icashing  aicay  of 
sin  ?  And  may  not  baptize,  then,  mean  wash  ?  I 
answer,  Not  at  all.  The  address  of  Ananias  to  Paul 
was,  "Arise,  and  be  immersed.'^  Immersion  m  pure 
water  would  have  the  ejfict  of  jvashing.  So  that 
here  we  are  not  at  liberty  to  depart  from  the  ordi- 
nary meaning  of  the  word. 

Acts  2.  Great  stress  is  laid  on  the  baptism  of 
the  3000,  as  offering  an  insuperable  objection  to 
the  idea  of  immersion.  But,  be  it  remembered, 
the  burden  of  proof  lies  on  those  who  object  to  im- 
mersion. Can  they  prove  that  immersion  could 
not  possibly  he  practised  in  this  case?  Hear  the 
language  of  Prof.  Stuart :  "  It  is  true,  we  do  not 
know  that  baptism  was  performed  by  the  apostles 
only,  nor  that  all  the  3900  were  baptized  before 
the  going  down  of  the  sun.  The  work  may  have 
extended  into  the  evening;  and  so,  many  being 
engaged  in  it,  and  more  time  being  given,  there  was 
a  possibility  that  the  work  should  be  performed, 
although  immersion  was  practised." 

Furthermore,  let  it  be  observed,  it  is  nowhere 
asserted  in  the  Scriptures,  that  three  thousand  were 
either  converted  or  baptized,  on  this  day,  (the  day 
of  Pentecost.)  We  are  net  informed  whether  J?/ify, 
ox  five  hundred^  or  more,  were  baptized  on  this  oc- 
casion. We  are  simply  told,  in  reference  to  those 
who  were  then  *'  pricked  in  their  hearts,"  who 
gladly  received  the  apostle's  word,  that  they  were 
baptized.  *'  And,"  we  are  further  informed,  **  the 
same  day  there  were  added  —  not  were  baptized—^ 
*  about   three    thousand    souls.'      The    Scriptures 


OF    BAPTISM.  43 

also  warrant  us  in  saying  that,  the  apostles  and  the 
one  hundred  and  twenty  disciples,  mentioned  in 
the  preceding  chapter,  were  all  present,  and  as 
many  others  in  Jerusalem,  and  in  that  region,  as 
could  conveniently  be  at  the  feast  of  Pentecost."  * 

But  there  are  facts  on  record  in  the  history  of 
the  church,  which  remove  every  difficulty  in  the 
way  of  the  immersion  of  the  entire  three  thousand. 

On  the  great  Sabbath  of  the  Easter  festival,  the 
IGth  day  of  April,  A.  D.  404,  Chrysostom,  with  the 
assistance  of  the  clergy  of  his  own  church,  bap- 
tized by  immersion  3000  persons.  Yes,  one  man, 
assisted  only  by  his  presbyters,  in  one  day  and  in 
one  place,  immersed  3000  persons  ;  and  that,  too, 
notwithstanding  tlie  Christians  were  twice  attacked 
by  furious  soldiers,  the  enemies  of  Chrysostom. 

So  in  49G,  Remigius,  bishop  of  Rheims,  bap- 
tized in  the  same  day,  by  immersion,  Clovis,  king 
of  France,  and  three  thousand  of  his  subjects. 

T  will  only  remark,  in  relation  to  the  above  his- 
torical facts,  tliat  the  baptisms  referred  to  were 
administered  on  Erc-irr-dai/  to  commemorate  the 
resurrection  of  Christ;  and  it  was  common  to 
reserve  all  the  baptisms  of  the  year  for  that  day. 
Hence  the  number  of  candidates  who  came  for- 
ward at  the  same  time.t 

In  view  of  the  above  examination  of  alleged  im- 
probabilities, I  ask  again,  How  can  we  feel  our- 
selves at  liberty  to  depart  from  the  observance  of 
the  rite  of  baptism,  as  prescribed  by  the  great  Head 
of  the  church  ? 

But  there  are  objections  to  immersion,  which  are 

*  Fuller  on  Communion  ;  note,  p.  71.     Blonmfield  says, 
"  We  need  not  suppose  all  [of*  the  3000]  were  baptized." 
t  Christian  Review,  Vol.  III.  pp.  1)1,  {)'2. 


^4  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

supposed  by  the  advocates  of  sprinkling  to  merit 
attention. 

1.  "Christ  intended  his  people  should  be  free 
from  inconvenient  and  burdensome  rites;  but  im- 
mersion would  often  be  inconvenient,  and  some- 
times impracticable." 

True,  the  almost  innumerable  rites  and  ceremo- 
nies of  the  ancient  dispensation,  with  the  time  and 
trouble,  the  expense  and  toil,  demanded  by  them, 
are  abolished.  The  external  rites  of  Christianity 
are  tioo  only  —  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper. 
These  two,  so  simple,  so  instructive  and  impres- 
sive, are  adapted  to  man  wherever  the  triumphs 
of  the  cross  shall  be  witnessed.  Since,  then,  the 
burdensome  observances  of  the  Mosaic  economy 
are  done  away,  and  the  founder  of  the  gospel  sys- 
tem has  instituted  only  these  two  rites,  though  he 
has  made  immersion  essential  to  baptism,  shall  we 
charge  him  with  imposing  upon  his  people  a  yoke 
like  that  which  rested  upon  the  children  of  Israel, 
too  grievous  to  be  borne  ? 

As  to  the  "  inconveniences"  attending  the  scrip- 
tural mode  of  baptism,  those  who  practise  this 
mode  smile  at  the  mention  of  them,  knowing  they 
exist  only  in  the  imagination  of  those  who  have 
never  tested  the  value  of  their  objection  by  ex- 
periment. 

In  regard  to  the  allegation,  that  immersion  must 
ever  be  in  some  countries,  and,  m  certam  circum- 
stances, in  all  countries,  '*  impracticable,"  a  mo- 
ment's reflection  will  satisfy  a  candid  mind  that 
little  importance  should  be  attached  to  it.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  immersion  is  practised,  at  this  day, 
in  some  of  the  hot  countries  of  Asia  and  Africa,  in 
the  frozen  regions  of  Russia,  and  amid  the  per- 
petual  snows  of  Siberia.     And  whenever,  in  any 


OF    BAPTISM.  45 

case,  the  administration  of  tlie  ordinance  would 
endanger  life  or  health,  it  must  be  postponed,  or 
altogether  omitted.  The  deprivation  of  the  priv- 
ilege must  be  referred  to  the  provideiicc  of  God, 
and  a  spiritual  mind  will  devoutly  submit  itself  lo 
that  providence.  God  will  accept  "  a  wilting 
viind,"  in  the  absence  of  physical  ability,  or  of 
opportunity  to  observe  his  ordinance.  And  the 
hardship  is  no  greater  in  this  instance,  than  in 
numerous  cases  where  Christians  are  detained  for 
years  from  the  public  worship  of  the  sanctuary;  or 
where  they  are  prevented,  by  the  loss  of  sight,  from 
obeying  the  command,  to  **  search  the  Scrip- 
tures." 

"  But,"  it  is  asked,  *'  should  a  person  on  the  bed 
of  death  give  evidence  of  conversion,  and  desire  to 
be  received  into  the  company  of  believers,  before 
his  departure,  what  could  be  done,  excessive  debil- 
ity forbidding  his  immersion?"  To  this  I  reply, 
first,  that  not  one  among  millions  is  converted  in 
so  w^eak  a  state  that  an  immersion  could  not  be 
performed,  in  a  bath,  at  his  bedside ;  and,  sec- 
ondly, this  case  is  met  by  the  preceding  remarks. 
The  individual  would  suffer  this  loss  in  common 
with  the  loss  of  the  privilege  of  Christian  fellow- 
ship, and  of  opportunities  to  labor  for  the  conver- 
sion of  sinners,,.w^hich  he  would  have  enjoyed,  if 
he  had  turned  from  his  sins,  and  connected  himself 
with  the  people  of  God,  while  in  health.  Humbled 
under  the  consciousness  of  guilt  incurred  by  so 
long  a  course  of  sin,  so  late  repeisted  of,  he  will 
rejoice  in  the  goodness  of  God  which  prepares  him, 
though  deprived  of  a  connection  with  the  church 
militant,  for  glory,  honor,  and  immortality,  with 
the  church  triumphant. 

2.  It  is  urged  that  •'  the  practice  of  the  Baptists, 


46  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

with  respect  to  the  Lord's  supper,  is  inconsistent 
with  their  strict  adherence  to  the  primitive  mode 
of  baptism."  It  is  said  they  do  not  observe  the 
requisitions  of  Christ  with  regard  to  "  the  time," 
or  "  the  place,"  or  "  the  posture,"  of  celebrating 
the  ordinance  of  the  supper ;  nor  do  they  use  the 
same  kind  of"  bread,"  or  of  "  wine." 

I  answer.  The  command  of  our  Lord,  "  This  do 
YE  in  remembrance  of  me,"  had  no  reference 
whatever  to  the  circumstances  of  celebrating  the 
supper ;  it  referred  to  the  eating  of  bread  and  the 
drinking  of  ivine  in  commemoration  of  his  death, 
without  any  allusion  to  "time,"  "place,"  or  "  man- 
ner." So  in  relation  to  baptism;  Christ  commands 
his  followers  to  be  haptiznd,  [immersed,']  without 
reference  to  time,  place,  or  manner.  Li  each  case, 
we  are  bound  to  do  just  ichat  he  commanded.  In 
the  Lord's  supper,  we  are  commanded  to  partake 
of  bread  and  wine,  in  grateful  remembrance  of 
Christ;  in  baptism,  we  are  commanded  to  perform 
THE  ACT  REPRESENTED  by  the  word  baptize. 

The  objection  is  founded  on  this  error;  it  as- 
sumes that  immersion  is  only  a  circumstance  of 
baptism,  while  it  has  been  already  shown,  it  is  not 
a  circumstance  attending  it,  but  belongs  to  the  na- 
ture of  baptism  itself 

3.  "  Immersion  is  unfavorable  to  collected,  se- 
rious thought  in  the  person  who  submits  to  it,  and 
makes  on  the  spectators  an  impression  adverse  to 
religion." 

In  respect  of  the  first  part  of  the  objection,  the 
multitudes  who  have  been  "  buried  with  Christ  by 
baptism,"  will  testify  to  the  serene  composure,  and 
the  tender  solemnity  of  their  feelings.  Numbers 
of  timid  and  delicate  females,  with  placid  brow  and 
unwavering  step,  have  gone   **  down  into  the  wa- 


OF    BAPTISM.  47 

ter,"  in  happy  obedience  to  the  Saviour  they  love. 
The  ordinance,  so  significant,  so  full  of  rich  and 
precious  instruction,  has  a  sustaining,  elevating 
power,  which  makes  its  subjects  superior  to  the 
infirmities  which  might,  in  other  circumstances, 
disarm  and  overpower  them. 

With  reference  to  the  "  impression  "  alluded  to 
in  the  latter  part  of  the  objection,  it  deserves  to  be 
recollected  that,  on  all  subjects,  our  impressions, 
whether  right  or  wrong,  are  very  liable  to  take 
their  color  from  our  early  associations.  In  the 
case  before  us,  facts  demonstrate  that,  in  numer- 
ous instances,  all  the  impressions  connected  with 
the  scene  are  of  the  most  solemn  and  sacred  char- 
acter. The  venerated  Andrew  Fuller  states,  in 
his  own  account  of  his  life,  that  the  impressions 
he  received  on  first  seeing  a  person  baptized  by 
immersion,  exerted  a  powerful  influence  over  his 
religious  faith,  and  his  subsequent  religious  course. 
His  words  are  as  follows  :  — 

"  In  March,  1770,  I  witnessed  the  baptism  of 
two  young  persons,  having  never  seen  that  ordi- 
nance administered  before,  and  was  considerably 
affected  by  what  I  saw  and  heard.  The  solemn 
immersion  of  a  person  on  a  profession  of  faith  in 
Christ,  carried  such  a  conviction  with  it,  that  I 
wept  like  a  child  on  the  occasion.  The  words  of 
the  Psalmi.^t,  Ps.  Ill  :  10,  '  A  good  understanding 
have  all  they  that  do  his  commandments,'  left  a 
deep  and  abiding  impression  on  my  mind.  I  was 
fully  persuaded  that  this  was  the  primitive  way  of 
baptizing,  and  that  every  Christian  was  bound  to 
attend  to  this  institution  of  our  blessed  Lord." 

Thousands,  also,  by  the  same  means,  have  been 
converted,  and  have  been  led  to  embrace  the  Sa- 
viour, who  is  thus  set  forth  before  their  eyes,  as 


4^V  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

"  buried  and  risen  again "  for  their  redemption. 
Says  a  gentleman  of  high  standing  in  Cincinnati, 
Ohio,  recently  a  Unitarian,  "  BIy  first  serious  im- 
pressions were  produced  on  Sunday,  on  seeing  my 
ivife  receive  the  ordinance  of  baptism,  and  malie  a 
public  profession  of  religion,  before  a  large  con- 
gregation." 

Some  have  even  gone  so  far  as  to  speak  of  the 
administration  of  the  ordinance  by  immersion  as 
*'  indecent."  It  may  be  well  for  such  to  reflect 
that,  if  there  had  been  no  departure  from  the  bap- 
tism confessedly  practised,  as  a  general  thing,  by 
the  apostles  and  primitive  Christians,  such  a  senti- 
ment as  this  could  never  have  found  place  in  the 
bosom  of  any  follower  of  Christ.  Let  them  also 
remember  that,  in  urging  this  sentiment,  they  may 
stigmatize  an  ordinance  of  the  Holy  Saviour  with 
indecency. 

4.  "  There  is  no  express  command  in  the  New 
Testament  limiting  us  to  immersion;  and  if  Chri?t 
intended  his  people  should  confine  themselves  to 
this  mode  of  administration,  why  did  he  not  so 
plainly  make  known  his  will  that  there  could  be 
no  mistake  1  " 

This  objection  can  have  no  force  except  with 
those  who  dissent  from  the  conclusions  which  have 
been  established  in  this  discourse,  respecting  the 
meaning  of  baptize.  If  the  meaning  of  language 
can  be  ascertained ;  if  Christ  did  not  intend  to 
mislead  us  by  using  words  out  of  their  proper  sig- 
nification, then  it  is  certain,  that  when  the  Saviour 
said,  "  Go,  teach,  baptizing,"  &c.,  he  commanded 
liis  ministers  to  practise  immersion.  The  com- 
mand is  contained  in  the  word  baptize,  and  we 
are  no  more  at  liberty  to  require  a  clearer  injunc- 
tion, than  the  jailer  would  have  been,  when  he  was 


OF    BAPTISM. 


49 


directed  to  "believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 
The  direction  ot"  the  commission  to  immerse,  is  as 
plain  as  the  direction  "  to  teach,"  (make  disciples  or 
Christians;)  or  as  the  direction  which  follows, 
"teaching  them  to  observe  alJ  things  whatsoever  I 
have  commanded.''  — To  say  that  baptize  may 
mean  to  apply  icatcr  in  any  manner  to  the  person, 
is  as  destitute  of  support  as  for  one  to  affirm,  th:;t 
the  word  "  eeit,"  in  the  following  sentence,  may 
mean  to  destroy  in  any  manner.  *'  Jesus  took 
bread,  and  blessed  it,  and  brake  it,  and  gave  it  to 
the  disciples,  and  said,  Take,  eat ;  this  is  my 
body."  Suppose  a  sect  of  religionists  should  arise, 
holding  that  we  are  not  required  to  ''eat"  the 
bread  in  the  sacred  supper,  but  may  destroy  it  in 
any  other  manner,  which  may  seem  to  be  more 
convenient  or  agreeable.  A  member  of  this  sect 
might  argue  thus  :  It  is  admitted  that  the  ordinary 
and  proper  sense  of  "to  eat"  is  '*  to  chew  and 
swallow  as  food  ;  "  but  it  also  means  "  to  corrode; 
to  wear  away  ;  to  separate  parts  of  a  thing  grad- 
ually ;  to  consume;  to  destroy."  The  idea  of 
destroying  seems  to  lie  at  the  foupdation  of  all 
these  definitions.  Why  may  we  not,  then,  suppose 
Christ  did  not  intend  to  confine  us  to  taking  inio 
the  mouth  and  swallowhig  the  consecrated  element, 
but  has  left  us  the  liberty  to  take  it  and  destroy 
it  in  any  manner?  The  bread  is  often  unpala- 
table, and  it 'is  very  difficult,  perhaps  dangerous, 
for  some,  through  their  infirmities,  "  to  chew  and 
swallow"  it  as  food.  Would  the  Saviour  impose 
such  a  *'  burden  "  on  the  aged  and  tlie  sick,  as  to 
limit  them  to  this  mode  of  taking  bread?  May 
we  not  crumble  it  in  the  hand,  or  rub  it  into 
minute  particles  on  the  floor ;  and,  seriously  watch- 


501  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

ing  the  progress  of  destruction,  may  we  not  so  be 
as  truly  reminded  of  the  broken  body  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  as  if  we  were  "to  chew  and  swallow"  it, 
according  to  the  primary  and  proper  meaning  of 
the  word  ''eat"?  To  a  pious  mind  this  seems 
almost  like  irreverent  trifling;  but  it  is  by  precisely 
similar  reasoning,  that  it  is  attempted  to  evade  the 
force  of  the  argument  drawn  from  the  acknowl- 
edged sense  of  the  word  baptize.  And  why  does 
our  "  reverence"  receive  no  shock,  when  the  rea- 
soning is  applied  to  the  ordinance  of  baptism? 
We  must  look  to  the  power  of  long-cherished 
prejudices  for  a  reply.  The  sum  of  the  matter  is 
this:  In  instituting  the  Lord's  supper,  the  com- 
mand of  the  Saviour  is,  "  Take,  eat  ;  "  in  institu- 
ting baptism,  he  says,  immerse.  The  word  em- 
ployed by  Christ  is  as  intelligible,  specific,  and 
definite,  in  the  latter  case  as  in  the  former  ;  and  if 
Christ  has  made  it  essential  to  "  eat  "  bread,  in 
the  ordinance  of  the  supper,  he  has  also  made  it 
ESSENTIAL  to  IMMERSE  the  person,  in  the  ordi- 
nance of  baptism. 

In  replying  to  the  above  objections,  the  design 
has  been  to  meet  the  main  difficulties  which  are 
supposed  to  be  connected  with  immersion.  I  leave 
this  branch  of  the  subject  with  three  or  four  addi- 
tional remarks. 

1.  The  objections  jnst  considered  are  all  founded 
on  a  false  and  dangerous  principle,  viz.,  that  we 
may  determine  what  is,  or  what  is  not,  a  Christian 
ordinance,  by  our  views  of  what  is  fit  and  proper, 
what  is  safe  and  conveniefi  ,  expedient  and  useful. 
This  is  an  error  fraught  with  ruinous  consequences. 
It  is  on  this  principle  that  the  Roman  Catholic 
justifies  the   unscriptural,  foolish,    and    pernicious 


OF    BAPTISM.  51 

opinions  and  observances  wliich  are  sanctioned  by 
his  cliurch.  in  endeavoring  to  ascertain  what  is 
an  ordniance  of  Clirist,  we  must  consult  the  Scrip- 
tures ;      TO     THE     LAW     AND     TO      THE      TESTIMONY 

must  we  resort,  and  there  must  we  obtain  a  verdict 
from  which  tliere  shall  be  no  appeal. 

2.  It  is  a  canon  laid  down  by  a  distinguished 
teacher  in  theology,  that  ''A  doctrine  proved  hy 
sufficient  evidence  is  not  to  be  rejected  on  any  ac- 
count  whatever."  *  This  rule  will  apply  to  the 
case  in  hand.  Has  not  the  position,  that  immer~\ 
sion  is  essential  to  baptism,  been  proved  by  suffi.-^ 
cient  evidence  ?  If  so,  then  we  must  not  reject 
this  truth,  even  if  there  were  objections  to  it,  which 
might  seem  to  present  to  us  insurmountable  diffi- 
culties. But  no  such  difficulties  are  connected 
with  this  subject. 

3.  Had  the  translators  of  our  version  possessed 
the  light  which  the  labors  of  eminent  philologists 
during  the  last  fifty  years  have  thrown  over  this 
subject,  they  would  have  found  themselves  obliged, 
in  conscience,  to  translate  the  word  ^uticL'^o)  im- 
merse, in  all  cases  ;  and  they  would  not  have  con- 
sented to  adopt  it,  instead  of  translating  it,  thus 
concealing  the  mind  of  the  Spirit.  Nay,  more; 
had  not  King  James,  under  the  advice  of  the 
bishops,  virtually  ordered  the  translators  not  to 
translate  the  words  relating  to  baptism,  I  believe  it 
morally  certain  that  that  learned  and  pious  assem- 
bly, acting  even  under  the  inferior  light  which  they 
enjoyed,  would  have  rendered  the  word,  in  every 
instance,  in  accordance  with  the  views  maintained 
in  this  discourse. 

*  Manuscript  Lectures  of  Rev.  Dr.  Woods,  on  the  "  In 
comprehensibility  of  Revelation." 


53 


MODE    AND    SUBJECTS    OF    BAPTISM. 


4.  If  the  word  rendered  baptize  does  not  specif- 
ically and  necessarily  convey  the  idea  of  immer- 
sion,  then  the  Greek  language,  the  most  copious  of 
all  languages,  has  no  word  for  communicating  that 
idea  —  an  idea  with  which  the  Greeks  were 
familiar,  and  which  they  had  occasion  often  to 
express.  But  if  this  word  docs  express  that  idea, 
and  there  is  no  word  in  the  Greek  language  which 
more  clearly  expresses  it,  then  the  language  of  the 
commission  has,  in  the  plainest  terms,  made  im- 
mersion essential  to  baptism. 

Again ;  Christ  either  intended  to  confine  his 
people  to  immersion,  or  he  did  not.  If  he  did  in- 
tend to  confine  them  to  immersion,  the  very  word 
is  used  which  an  intelligent  Greek  would  have  used 
for  the  same  purpose;  if  he  did  not  intend  to  con- 
fine his  people  to  immersion,  then  the  use  of  such 
a  word  by  his  inspired  apostles  is  calculated  to 
deceive  and  mislead  his  people. 

5.  In  conclusion,  I  desire  to  record  my  deliber- 
ate and  most  serious  conviction,  that,  could  all  our 
prepossessions  and  prejudices  be  laid  aside,  we 
should  never,  for  one  moment,  doubt  that  immer- 
sion is  prescribed  by  Christ  as  essential  to  the 
nature  of  gospel  baptism.  We  should  find  an 
undeniable  exposition  of  our  duty  in  the  practice 
of  the  apostles,  and  in  allusions  to  the  ordinance  ; 
and  no  question  would  ever  be  started  respecting 
the  will  of  the  King  of  saints,  or  the  obligations  of 
his  subjects. 

The  Lord  hasten  the  day,  when  all  his  children 
shall  submit  their  opinions  to  the  decisions  of  his 
Word,  and  subject  their  practice  to  the  dictation 
of  his  Commandments! 


BAPTISM. 


ITS     SUBJECTS. 

Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I 
have  tommanded  you.  —  Matt.  23  :  19,  20. 

Having  considered  w?iat  is  baptism,  I  am  now 
to  inquire,  To  whom  is  this  ordinance  to  be  admin- 
istered ? 

It  may  be  regarded  as  certain,  that  a  simple- 
minded  reader  of  the  New  Testament,  uninfluenced 
hy  previous  instruction,  or  by  any  early  associa- 
tions, would  never  suspect  that  any  other  persons 
than  those  lohu  believe  are  to  be  baptized.  In 
accordance  with  this  sentiment  are  the  conces- 
sions of  the  advocates  of  the  baptism  of  infants, 
many  of  whom  admit,  with  Dr.  Woods,  that  ''we 
have  no  erpress  precept,  or  example,  for  infant  bap- 
tism, in  all  our  holy  ivritings.''  "  Commands,  or 
plain  and  certain  examples,  in  the  New  Testament, 
relative  to  it,"  (infant  baptism,)  says  Prof.  Stuart, 
'*  /  do  7iotfnd."  Martin  Luther  says,  '*  It  cannot 
be  proved  by  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  that  infant 
baptism  was  instituted  by  Christ,  or  begun  by  the 
first  Christians  after  the  apostles."  Neander  says, 
5* 


54  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

U  *'  That  Chtiist  did  not  establish  infant  baptism^ 
is  certain."  Rosen  mueller,  Tholuck,  Winer, 
De  Wette,  and  others,  while  they  assert  that  the 
primitive  baptism  was  immersion,  declare,  with 
equal  decisiveness,  that  infant  baptism  w^as  un- 
known in  the  age  of  the  apostles. 

Such  being  the  state  of  the  case,  the  burden  of 
proof  rests  on  those  who  maintain  that  infant  bap- 
tism ought  to  be  practised.  As  the  practice  is 
now  extensively  adopted,  a  claim  might  indeed  be 
setup  in  its  favor,  as  "  an  existing  institution;'' 
but  any  presumption  which  might  be  urged  in  its 
behalf,  on  this  ground,  is  rebutted  by  the  stronger 
presumption  that,  had  Christ  intended  so  important 
an  ordinance  as  the  rite  initiating  its  recipients 
into  the  Christian  church,  should  be  extended  to 
infants,  he  would  have  left,  in  the  inspired  wri- 
tings, some  distinct  intimation,  at  least,  of  his  will. 
But  not  one  such  can  be  found.  Those,  therefore, 
who  contend  that  all  Christian  parents  should 
apply  this  ordinance  to  their  infant  children,  muct 
prove  it  to  be  a  duty  binding  on  the  churches. 
Those  who  reject  infant  baptism  are  not  called  on 
to  state  one  objection  against  it :  they  may  act 
only  on  the  defensive,  while  their  brethren  are 
bound  to  advance  good  reasons  for  supposing  the 
practice  to  be  obligatory.  Accordingly,  Pedo- 
baptist  writers  usually  proceed  at  once  by  argu- 
ment to  defend  and  support  the  practice.  The 
arguments  generally  produced  I  shall  now  ex- 
amine. 

1.  "  The  New  Testament  does  not  forbid  the 
baptism  of  it  f ants  J' 

Nor  does  it  forbid  the  admission  of  infants  to 
the  Lord's  supper,  nor  the  invocation  of  saints,  nor 


OF    BAPTISM.  55 

prayers  for  the  dead,  nor  the  U'^e  of  holy  water. 
But  does  this  silence  prove  that  these  superstitions 
are  lawful,  and  should  be  observed  ? 

2.  '*  The  7vant  of  an  cTprcss  divine  precept  re- 
quiring infant  baptism,  affords  no  valid  objection 
against  it." 

I  was  myself  once  satisfied  to  adopt  this  senti- 
ment;  but  a  more  careful  examination  has  con- 
vinced me  of  my  error.  Why  ought  we  not  to  be 
guided  by  the  New  Testament  on  the  question.  To 
whom  is  Christian  baptism  to  be  administered  ?  as 
well  as  on  the  question,  To  whom  is  the  Lord's 
supper  to  be  administered?  And  if  infant  baptism 
ought  to  be  practised,  although  there  is  no  divine 
precept  in  the  word  of  God  respecting  it,  why  may 
not  infant  communion  be  binding  on  the  churches  ? 
Why  is  not  the  Bible  a  sufficient  directory  on  this 
subject?  Is  a  man  who  has  hitherto  been  ignorant 
of  Christianity,  and  who  has  no  views  respecting 
it,  but  who  has  now  received  the  whole  Bible,  and 
is  left  to  its  guidance  alone,  is  he  not  in  a  capacity 
fully  to  decide  the  question  of  duty  as  to  the  scrip- 
tural subjects  of  baptism  1  And  where,  in  the 
whole  Bible,  is  the  passage,  or  the  combination  of 
})assages,  that  would  suggest  to  such  a  man  the 
duty  of  infant  baptism? 

But  it  is  said.  We  have  no  express  divine  precept 
respecting  the  observance  of  the  Lord's  day  as  the 
Christian  Sabbath,  or  respecting  ''female  commu- 
nion." But  we  have  the  practice  of  the  apostlesx 
to  justify  us  for  keeping  the  first  day  of  the  week 
as  the  Sabbath.  Let  us  have  as  good  a  warrant 
for  the  baptism  of  infants,  and  we  will  be  satisfied. 
And  in  relation  to  the  communion  of  females,  the 
command  of  Christ,  addressed   "  originally  to  the 


56;  MODli    AND    SUBJECTS 

apostles,'^  was  not  given  to  them  as  apostles,  nor 
as  men;  but  the  practice  was  enjoined  on  them  as 
believers,  disciples.  Ail  persons,  therefore,  whether 
male  or  female,  being  believers,  disciples,  members 
of  the  church,  are  bound  to  celebrate  the  Lord's 
supper.  It  is  also  clear,  from  various  passages  of 
the  New  Testament,  that  women  did  partake  of  the 
supper.*  Can  we  find  in  the  New  Testament  as 
satisfactory   evidence   in  favor   of  infant   baptism  1 

1  will  only  add,  that  we  do  not  reject  the  baptism 
of  infants,  merely  because  there  is  "no  express 
divine  precept"  requiring  it;  but  because  there 
is  neither  command,  nor  example,  nor  fair  in- 
ference in  its  favor,  in  a  single  passage  in  the  word 
of  God. 

3.  Authority  for  infant  baptism  is  supposed  to 
be  derived  "from  the  Ahrakainic  covenant,  bap- 
tism being  regarded  as  a  substitute  for  circum- 
cision," 

The  covenant  made  with  Abraham  we  find  in 
Gen.  17:  1—14  — 

"  And  when  Abram  was  ninety  years  old  and  nine,  the 
Lord  appeared  to  Abram,  and  said  unto  him,  1  am  the 
Almighty  God;  walk  before  me,  and  be  thou  perfect. 
And  I  will  make  my  covenant  between  me  and  thee, 
and  will  multiply  thee  exceedmgly.  And  Abram  fell  on 
his  face ;  and  God  talked  with  him,  saying.  As  for  me, 
behold,  my  covenant  is  with  thee,  and  thou  shalt  be  a 
father  of  many  nations.  Neither  shall  thy  name  any 
more  be  called  Abram;  but  thy  name  shall  be  Abraham; 
for  a  father  of  many  nations  have  I  made  thee.  And  I 
will  make  thee  exceeding  fruitful,  and  I  will  make  na- 
tions of  thee  ;  and  kings  shall  come  out  of  thee..    And  I 

*  Compare  Acts  18  :  2,  18,  26.     Rom.  16  :  3.     1st  Cor.  1, 

2  and  11:  1,2.20—33. 


OF    BAPTISM.  57 

will  establish  my  covenant  between  me  and  thee,  and 
.thy  seed  after  thte,  in  tlioir  g-enorations,  for  an  everlast- 
ing covenant;  to  be  a  (Jod  unto  tliee,  and  to  thy  seed 
after  ihee.  And  I  Aviil  give  unto  thee,  and  to  tliy  seed 
atler  tiiee,  the  land  Avlierein  thou  art  a  stranger,  all  the 
land  of  Canaan,  for  an  everlasting  possession;  and  I  will 
be  their  God. 

"  And  God  said  unto  Abraham,  Thou  shalt  keep  my 
covenant  therefore,  thou,  and  thy  seed  after  thee,  in  their 
generations.  This  is  my  covenant  which  ye  shall  keep 
between  me  and  you,  and  thy  seed  after  thee:  Every 
man  child  among  you  shall  be  circumcised.  And  ye 
shall  circumcise  the  ilesh  of  your  foreskin  ;  and  it  shall 
be  a  token  of  the  covenant  betwixt  me  and  you  ;  and  he 
that  is  eight  days  old  shall  be  circumcised  among  you, 
every  man  child  in  your  generations  ;  he  that  is  born  in 
the  house,  or  bought  with  money  of  any  stranger,  which 
is  not  of  thy  seed.  He  that  is  born  in  thy  house,  and  he 
that  is  bouglit  with  thy  money,  must  needs  be  circum- 
cised ;  and  my  covenant  shall  be  in  your  flesh  for  an 
everlasting  covenant.  And  the  uncircumcised  man 
child,  whose  flesh  of  his  foreskin  is  not  circumcised,  that 
soul  shall  be  cut  off  from  his  people ;  he  hath  broken  my 
covenant." 

This  covenant  may  be  considered  as  having  a 
letter  and  a  spirit.  It  contains  three  promises  to 
Abraham  :  First,  a  nun  erous  posterity,  which  was 
fulfilled  in  the  letter  in  the  nation  of  Israel.  It 
was  fulfilled  in  the  sjnrit  by  the  divine  constitu- 
tion that  makes  all  believers  the  children  of  Abra- 
ham. Secondly,  the  next  promi^^e  was,  to  be  a 
God  to  him  and  his  seed,  which  was  fulfilled  in  the 
letter  by  his  protection  of  Israel  in  Egypt;  his 
delivering  them  from  bondage;  his  taking  them 
into  covenant  at  Sinai ;  and  all  his  subsequent 
dealings  with  them,  till  they  were  cast  oft'  by  their 
rejection  of  Christ.     This  promise  was  fulfilled  in 


'58  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

the  spirit  by  God's  being  a  God  to  all  believers, 
and  to  them  alone,  in  a  higher  sense  than  he  was 
to  Israel.  The  third  promise  was  of  the  land  of 
Canaan,  fulfilled  in  the  kttei'  to  Israel,  and  in  the 
spirit  fulfilled  to  the  true  Israel,  in  the  possession 
of  the  heavenly  inheritance.  Now,  be  it  remem- 
bered, it  belongs  to  those  who  urge  the  practice  of 
infant  baptism  to  prove,  from  this  covenant,  that  all 
Christians  are  under  obligations  to  adopt  this  prac- 
tice. But  can  any  Christian  feel  that  this  is  the 
covenant  which  God  has  made  with  him  1  Chris- 
tian parent,  has  God  covenanted  to  give  you  these 
blessings  1  Though  he  may  have  covenanted  to 
give  you  some  of  these  blessings,  together  with 
many  others,  the  question  must  be  repeated,  Is  this 
the  very  covenatit  ivhich  God  has  made  with  you  1 
If  it  is,  then  you  are  under  obligations  to  perform 
the  rite  of  circumcision  on  every  man  child  in  your 
house — and  that,  too,  on  the  eighth  day  —  neither 
before  nor  after  that  period. 

But  it  is  said,  "  Baptism  has  come  in  the  place  of 
circumcision.^^  Where  is  the  ^roof  of  this  ?  You 
assert  it,  and  you  must  prove  it.  If  we  are  yet 
under  "  the  covenant  of  circumcision,"  only  bap- 
tism having  taken  the  place  of  the  ancient  rite, 
why  has  not  the  Bible  informed  us  of  the  fact  1 
When  some,  who  had  embraced  the  religion  of 
Jesus,  (Acts  XV.,)  insisted  that  the  Christian  con- 
verts should  be  9ircumcised,  why  did  not  the  great 
council  of  the  apostles  and  elders,  who  decided 
that  circumcision  was  abolished,  satisfy  those  who 
were  jealous  of  the  law,  by  reminding  them,  that 
the  baptism  of  infants  was  to  be  practised  as  a  sub' 
stitute  for  circumcision  ?  And  when  Paul  wrote 
to  the  Galatians,  in  opposition   to   the   Judaizing 


OF    BAPTISM.  59 

teachers,  who  held  to  circumcision,  why  do  we 
find  in  his  epistles  not  a  single  hint  of  the  same 
fact  ?  And  if  circumcision  and  baptism  were  the 
same  thing,  why  was  baptism  administered  to  per- 
sons who  had  been  previously  circumcised  ]  And, 
again,  if  baptism  be  a  substitute  for  circumcision, 
will  it  not,  of  necessity,  follow,  that  all  servants, 
whether  "  born  in  the  house,  or  bought  with 
money,"  must  be  baptized,  on  the  faith  of  the 
master  ?  But  I  need  not  pursue  these  inquiries. 
The  most  eminent  biblical  scholars  of  the  age 
agree  with  Prof  Stuart  in  the  opinion,  that  "  the 
Abrahamic  covenant  furnishes  no  ground  for  in- 
fant baptism."  *  The  Scriptures  themselves  have 
decided  who  are  entitled  to  the  spiritual  blessings 
of  this  covenant,  viz.,  the  spiritual  seed  of  Abra- 
ham. But  ordy  *'  they  that  arc  of  faith  are  the 
children  of  Abraham."  Gal.  3:7.^  And  5:  29, 
"  If  ye  be  Christ's,  then  are  ye  Abraham's  seed, 
and  heirs  according  to  the  promise."  So,  then,  be- 
lieving Gentiles  are  the  spiritual  seed  of  Abraham, 
and  they  only.  The  children  of  believers  are  in 
no  sense  his  seed.  They  can  become  such  only 
by  believing  in  Jesus  Christ.  When  they  exercise 
faith  in  Christ,  then,  and  not  till  then,  will  they 
be  parties  to  the  covenant,  and  members  of  the 
church.  Having  become  "  Christ's,  they  will  be 
Abraham's  seed,  and  heirs  according  to  the  prom- 
ise." For  my  own  part,  I  zealously  and  laboriously 
endeavored,  for  months,  to  satisfy  myself  that  the 
practice  might  be  defended  from  this  covenant,  but 
was  obliged  to  abandon  the  attempt  in  despair. 
4.   It   is  said,  '*  The  Jewish  church  was  the  satne 

*  Manuscript  Lectures  on  Galatians  iii. 


60^,  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

with  the  Christian,  and  as  children  were  connected 
with  their  parents  by  a  religious  rite,  under  the  old 
dispensation,  this  relation  may  with  propriety  he 
marked  by  a  religious  rite,  under  the  new  dispen- 
sation." 

In  this  statement  are  two  errors.  First,  it  is 
assumed  that  the  two  churches  bear  such  a  re- 
semblance to  each  other,  as  to  affect  the  point  in 
debate  ;  but  this  is  the  very  thing  to  be  proved. 
No  matter  how  extensive  may  be  the  similarity  be- 
tween the  ancient  and  the  Christian  dispensations, 
provided  they  are  not  similar  in  respect  of  their 
members  and  ordinances.  There  is  no  such  same- 
ness as  this.  The  one,  by  its  constitution,  included 
carnal  members ;  the  other,  by  its  constitution,  ad- 
mits spiritual  members  only.  The  one  was  a  na- 
tional establishment,  into  which  its  members  were 
introduced  by  birth  ;  the  other,  a  spiritual  organi- 
zation, composed  of  those  who  have  received  the 
renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Secondly,  another 
error  of  the  statement  is,  it  supposes  circumcision 
was  designed  to  mark  some  "  peculiar  spiritual  re- 
lation "  between  the  parent  and  the  child.  But 
where  is  the  proof  of  this  1  Not  a  particle  of  evi- 
dence to  sustain  such  a  position  can  be  brought 
from  the  word  of  God.  On  the  contrary,  circum- 
cision was  a  mark  of  national  distinction,  intended 
j  to  separate  the  people  of  Israel  from  surrounding 
nations,  and  to  bind  them  together  as  one  people. 
Circumcisioji,  of  itself,  secured  to  the  circumcised 
person  no  blessing ;  it  was  enforced  by  the  penalty 
of  death ;  it  was  not  enjoined  on  all  Jewish  chil- 
dren ;  it  loas  not  enjoined  on  believers  in  other 
nations ;  it  could  not,  therefore,  be  a  spiritual 
privilege  to  individuals. 


OF    BAPTISM.  61 

From  this  it  is  apparent  that  there  is  no  room 
for  the  allegation  tiiat,  •'  if  children  are  not  bap- 
tized, they  do  not  enjoy  such  privileges  as  Jewii^h 
children  had.'  Even  admitting  that  circumcision 
was  designed  to  stand  connected  with  peculiar 
blessings,  still  the  child  of  the  Christian  believer 
has  great  advantages  over  the  offspring  of  the  Israel- 
ite. Unto  him  are  committed  the  oracles  of  God; 
like  Timothy,  he  is  made  to  know  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures, which  are  able  to  make  him  wise  unto  salva- 
tion ;  from  infancy,  he  is  the  subject  of  Christian 
sympathy  and  care ;  from  his  birth,  he  is  conse- 
crated to  God  by  supplication  ;  and  on  his  expanding 
character  are  sweetly  shed  the  influences  of  holy 
example,  of  religious  education,  and  a  peaceful 
home.  This  peculiarity  in  the  condition  of  a  be- 
liever's child  is  recognized  by  the  apostle,  when 
he  bids  Christian  parents  bring  up  their  children 
in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord;  recog- 
nized in  all  the  promises  of  a  divine  blessing  on 
parental  fidelity;  recognized  in  the  promiscuous 
application  of  the  Spirit's  power  to  the  hearts  of 
children  thus  trained  up,  whether  they  have  had 
the  sign  of  the  cross  marked  on  their  brow,  or  had 
water  sprinkled  upon  their  face,  or  have  never  ap- 
proached a  baptismal  altar. 

5.  It  is  contended  that  "  the  Jeics  had  been  ac- 
custoyned  to  baptize  the  children  of  proselytes  to 
their  faith,  and  therefore  the  apostles  must  have 
understood  the  direction,  *  baptizing  all  nations,'  to 
include  children." 

This  argument  depends,  for  all  its  force,  on  the 

fact  assumed,  that  proi^elytc  baptism  was  practised 

among  the  Jews  in  the  time  of  Christ.     But  this 

assertion  is  destitute  of  proof     Prof  Stuart,  after 

() 


62  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

an  elaborate  examination,  has  come  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  "  such  baptism  was  practised  at,  or  not 
long  after^  the  time  taken  the  second  temple  was 
destroyed,''  seventy  years  after  Christ.  This  con- 
clusion accords  with  the  opinions  of  the  great 
critics  of  Germany.  The  foundation,  then,  of  the 
above  argument  being  removed,  the  argument  itself 
falls  to  the  ground. 

6.  The  friends  of  infant  baptism  place  great  re- 
liance on  the  fact  that  "  baptis?n  loas  applied  to 
infants  in  the  early  ages  of  the  church." 

The  argument  from  the  history  of  the  church 
might  be  allowed  to  have  great  weight,  if  the  prac- 
tice under  consideration  could  be  traced  back  to 
the  apostles;  but  this  cannot  be  done.  While  we 
find  Barnabas  and  Hernias,  the  friends  of  the  apos- 
tle Paul,  together  with  an  uninterrupted  succession 
of  writers  from  their  time  downwards,  frequently 
speaking  of  the  immersion  of  believers,  we  find  no 
mention  whatever  of  infant  baptism  till  the  time  of 
Tertallian,  two  hundred  years  after  Christ!  I  am 
aware  that  distinguished  Pedo-baptist  writers  have 
quoted  Justin  Martyr  and  Irengeus,  Christian  fa- 
thers who  lived  before  Tertullian.  But  a  carefui 
examination  of  the  passages  referred  to  will  satisfy 
a  candid  inquirer  that  these  fathers  have  been  mis- 
understood. 

Justin  Martyr  says,  "  Among  those  who  were 
members  of  the  church,  there  were  many  of  both 
sexes,  some  sixty  and  some  seventy  years  old,  70J10 
were  made  disciples  to  Christ  from,  their  infancy." 
It  is  contended  that  the  last  clause  must  refer  to 
the  baptism  of  infants.  The  Greek  verb  here  em- 
ployed is  the  same  as  that  rendered  "teach" 
[sfza&rjTPvaar'j  in   the  commission.     The  simplest 


OF    BAPTISM.  G3 

and  most  natural  renderinir  of  the  passage,  is,  ihcy 
were  instructed  from  i/ictr  childhood. 

Matthies,  coaimentiiig  on  this  passage,  says, 
"  These    words    mean    simply    that    '  from    their 

CHILDHOOD  THEY  WERE  INSTRUCTED  IN  RE- 
LIGION ;  '  for,  in  another  place,  speaking  of  the 
order  and  manner  of  baptism,  Justin  Martyr  says 
that  '  anil/  those  who  believed  what  they  were 
taught  were  baptized.'  From  which  it  appears 
that,  in  Justin's  view,  baptism  was  to  be  given 
subsequently  to  faith." 

Starck  says,  "  The  defenders  of  infant  baptism 
attempt  to  prove  it  from  Justin  Martyr  and  Irenoeus, 
but  neither  of  them  says  what  is  attributed  to  him." 

Neander,  Winer,  Rheinhard,  and  Munscher, 
Hahn,  Lange,  and  nearly  all  of  the  German  critics, 
are  directly  opposed  to  the  Pedo-baptist  view  of 
this  passage. 

The  passage  from  Irena3us  is  as  follows:  "Christ 
came  to  save  all  through  himself;  all,  I  say,  who 
through  him  are  regenerated  [renascuntur]  to  God, 
infants,  and  little  ones,  and  children,  and  youths, 
and  the  aged.  Therefore  he  passed  through  every 
age  respectively,  sanctifying  infants  by  becoming  an 
infant  to  tliem,"  6lc.  Every  thing  here  turns  on 
the  meaning  of  the  word  translated  regenerated. 
If  it  means  they  ivere  regenerated,  then  it  has 
nothing  to  do  with  our  subject ;  if  it  means  they 
were  baptized,  then  it  proves  the  existence  of  infant 
baptism  in  the  time  of  Irena^us.  An  examination 
of  Irenajus's  manner  of  speaking  will  make  it  plain 
that  the  word  in  debate  must  have  assigned  to  it 
the  former  meaning,  they  were  regenerated.  So, 
many  eminent  critics. 

Baumgarten  Crusius.     *'  The  celebrated  passage 


•64  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

in  Irenseus  is  not  to  be  applied  to  infant  bapfisfn, 
for  the  phrase  renascuntur^  &c.,  evidently  means 
the  participation  of  all  in  his  divine  and  holy  na- 
ture, in  which  he  became  a  substitute  for  all." 

Winer.  *'  Tertullian  is  the  first  that  mentions 
infant  baptism.  IrencBus  does  not  mention  it,  as 
has  been  supposed." 

So  Rossler,  Munscher,  Von  Coin,  &c. 

Hence  it  appears  that  Tertullian,  about  A.  D. 
200,  is  the  very  first  writer  who  mentions  infant 
baptism;  and  he  opposed  it  —  *'  a  proof"  says  Ne- 
ander,  "  that  it  icas  not  yet  customary  to  regara 
this  as  an  apostolic  institution ;  for  had  it  been  so, 
he  would  hardly  have  ventured  to  oppose  it  so 
warmly."  Again,  Neander  says,  ''  Tertullian  de- 
clared against  infant  baptism,  ivhich,  at  that  time, 
urns  certainly  ?iot  a  generally  prevailing  practice 
—  was  not  yet  regarded  as  an  apostolic  institu- 
tion. On  the  contrary,  as  the  assertions  of  Ter- 
tullian render  in  the-  highest  degree  probable,  it 
had  just  begun  to  spread,  and  teas  therefore  re- 
garded by  many  as  an  innovation."  It  must  be 
remembered  that  Neander  is  the  most  eminent 
ecclesiastical  historian  of  the  present  age.  With 
him,  in  this  view,  the  great  body  of  living  German 
critics  are  united. 

Great  stress  is  laid  on  the  testimony  of  Origen, 
(who  flourished  about  the  year  of  our  Lord  220,) 
and  of  Augustine,  (about  A.  D.  400,)  who  testified 
to  an  apostolic  tradition  for  infant  baptism.  In 
regard  to  the  former,  Neander  says,  "  His  words  in 
that  age  cannot  have  much  weight ;  for  whatever 
was  regarded  as  important  was  alleged  to  be  from 
the  apostles.  Besides,  many  walls  of  partition  in- 
tervened between  this  age  and  that  of  the  apostles, 
to  intercept  the  view." 


OF    ISAl'Tiy.M.  65 

Augustine  says,  **  Infant  baptism  is  believed  to 
be  established  not  witliout  apostolical  authority." 
Living  at  so  remote  an  age  from  the  apostles,  being 
deeply  engaged  in  the  controversy  as  a  violent 
party  man,  and  catching  at  slight  evidence  with  too 
great  avidity,  we  can  scarcely  regard  hitn  as  an  his- 
torical witness.     • 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord  2o3,  Fidus,  a  country 
bishop,  submitted  to  a  council,  sitting  at  Carthage, 
the  question,  *'  whether  infants  might  he  baptized 
before  thjm_vier(.  eight  clajis  old."  It  is  said, 
"  There  was  no  doubt  respecting  the  propriety  of 
infant  baptism ;  that  was  admitted  on  all  hands. 
And  this  shows  the  practice  to  be  general  in 
that  age." 

In  reply,  I  remark,  we  have  already  seen  Tertul- 
lian,  who  flourished  only  some  fifty  years  before 
this,  opposing  infant  baptism  "  as  an  innovation." 
The  practice,  introduced  about  his  time,  had  spread 
indeed  ;  but  so  late  as  the  time  when  the  council 
assembled,  it  was  still  a  question  whether  it  was 
proper  to  baptize  infants  before  the  eighth  day. 
Now,  to  my  mind,  it  is  plain  that,  had  infants  been 
baptized  from  the  days  of  the  apostles  down  to  the 
session  of  the  council,  this  question  could  never 
have  been  started.  The  usage  in  the  case  would 
have  been  settled  long  before  that  day;  and  the 
f  ict,  that  such  a  point  was  unsettled  in  the  mind  of 
a  bishop,  shows  that  infant  baptism  was  not,  even 
at  that  period,  a  general  practice. 

Before  leaving  the  argument  for  infant  baptism 
from  ecclesiastical  history,  —  an  argument  on  which 
the  very  greatest  dependence  is  placed ,  —  one  or  two 
comments  may  be  admissible.  While  the  chain  of 
evidence  in  favor  of  immersion  is  unbroken,  from 
0* 


66  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

the  very  days  of  Paul  and  Barnabas  downwards, 
all  the  links  which  should  connect  the  later  practice 
of  the  church,  in  regard  to  infants,  ivith  the  time  of 
the  apostles,  are  missing  !  We  hear  not  a  syllable 
of  the  baptism  of  infants  till  two  hundred  years 
after  Christ.  It  is  admitted,  however,  that  the 
practice  was  commenced  near  the  close  of  the  sec- 
ond century,  and  gradually  gained  ground  in  the 
third ;  and  it  may  be  asked.  How  could  the  change 
from  adult  to  infant  baptism  be  introduced  ?  In 
reply,  it  is  enough  to  ask,  How  could  episcopacy, 
and  the  use  of  sponsors,  the  sign  of  the  cross  on  the 
forehead,  the  dressing  in  white,  and  a  multitude  of 
usages  and  ceremonies,  be  introduced,  all  "  without 
a  whisper  of  opposition  "  1  Especially,  I  ask,  how 
could  infant  communion  become  universal  in  the 
church,  without  a  single  note  of  remonstrance? 
There  is  the  same  evidence  from  antiquity,  in  favor 
of  this,  as  in  favor  of  infant  baptism;  and  if  you 
adopt  the  one  practice  on  the  ground  of  the  usage 
of  the  ancient  church,  you  must  also  adopt  the 
other.  The  truth  unquestionably  is,  iff  ant  baptism, 
was  introduced  into  the  church  contemporaneously 
with  the  notion,  that  baptism  is  essential  to  salva- 
tion. When  this  idea  prevailed,  baptism  of  course 
must  be  administered  to  infants,  or  they  were 
doomed  to  perdition.  But  I  pass  to  another  topic. 
7.  Household  baptism.  It  is  argued  that  "  the 
apostles  baptized  certain  households,  and  it  is  prob- 
able these  households  contained  infant  children." 
'^Probable"  they  contained  infants!  But  my 
brethren  must  make  it  certain  —  the  burden  of 
proof  rests  on  them.  They  cannot  use  the  '*  house- 
holds" as  an  argument  in  their  favor,  till  they 
PROVE,  not  only  that  they  might  contain,  but  that 


OF    BAPTISM.  67 

they  actually  did  contain,  infants.  This  will  scarcely 
be  attempted,  for  the  Holy  Ghost  has  left  on  record 
facts  concerning  two  of  these  cases,  vvhicii  demon- 
strate that  they  contained  only  those  who  believed. 

In  the  case  of  the  jailer,  it  is  said,  "  Paul  and 
Silas  spake  unto  him  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  to 
all  that  icere  in  his  house.''  *'  And  he  rejoiced, 
believing  in  God  icith  all  his  house." 

Dr.  Macknight,  a  Pedo-baptist,  remarks,  "  The 
house  of  the  jailer,  it  seems,  zvere  equally  impressed 
with  Paul's  sermon,  as  the  jailer  himself  ic as." 

Calvin. "in  which  the  grace  of  God  illus- 
triously appeared,  because  it  suddenly  brought  the 
wliole  fimily  to  a  pious  consent." 

Bloomfield.  "  It  is  taken  for  granted,  his  family 
became  Christians  as  well  as  himself  ." 

Concerning  the  household  of  Stephanas,  Paul 
writes,  "  It  is  the  fr<t-fruits  of  Achaia,  and  they 
have  addicted  themselves  to  the  ministry  of  the 
.^ifiints;"  on  which  Dr.  Macknight  remarks,"  The 
family  of  Stephanas  seefn  all  to  have  been  adults 
when  they  were  baptized,  as  they  are  said  to  have 
devoted  themselves  to  the  ministry  of  the  saints." 

With  reference  to  the  case  of  Lydia,  it  appears 
she  was  a  stranger  from  Thyatira,  residing  in  Phi- 
lippi,  nearly  three  hundred  miles  from  home,  for  the 
purposes  of  trade.  It  is  not  in  evidence  that  she 
had  a  husband  or  children.  Probably  her  house- 
hold was  composed  of  assistants  in  her  business, 
who,  following  ler  example,  believed  and  were 
baptized  ;  for  we  are  informed  that,  when  Paul 
and  Silas  left  the  city,  they  entered  into  the  house 
of  Lydia,  and  saw  and  comforted  the  brethren. 

Thus  we  fmd  in  the  New  Testament  baptized 
households  just  so  often  as  we  find  believing  house' 


^  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

holds.  So  now,  in  the  church,  Baptist  ministers 
are  frequently  permitted  to  baptize  whole  families, 
on  a  profession  of  their  faith  ;  and  within  a  recent 
period,  the  missionaries  in  Burmah  speak  of  bap- 
tizing eight  entire  households  of  believers. 

8.  Infant  baptism  is  enforced  from  '^  the  nature 
and  fitness  of  things,''  and  "  because  zY  is  agreeable 
to  the  feelings  of  parents.'' 

The  feelings  which  prompt  pious  parents  to  pre- 
sent their  infant  offspring  for  baptism,  are  often 
deserving  of  great  respect.  Indeed,  they  are  fre- 
quently deemed  sacred,  and  no  profane  eye  should 
look  upon  them  with  unhallowed  gaze.  But  when, 
influenced  by  these  ''feelings,"  men  would  impose 
on  the  churches,  as  a  divine  institution,  an  uncom- 
manded  ceremony,  and  thus  set  aside  an  ordinance 
of  Christ,  it  becomes  us  to  examine  the  strength  of 
the  argument. 

The  principle  on  which  the  reasoning  proceeds 
is  this  :  whatever  observance  is  pleasant  to  the  feel- 
ings of  good  men,  ought  to  be  regarded  as  an 
institution  of  God!  There  are,  doubtless,  pious 
men  in  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  and  the  un- 
scriptural  ceremonies  of  Popery  "  are  agreeable  to 
their  feelings."  Is  this  any  reason  for  supposing 
these  ceremonies  binding  on  all  the  disciples  of  the 
Saviour  ?  Prayer  for  the  repose  of  departed  spirits, 
supplications  to  the  Virgin  Mary  and  to  the  saints, 
and  the  worship  of  images,  are  pleasant  to  the 
"feelings  "  of  those  who  offer  them ;  but  is  this  a 
sufficient  proof  that  all  the  followers  of  Christ  ought 
to  adopt  the  views  of  the  Catholics,  in  these  mat- 
ters? If  the  advocates  of  infant  baptism  have  no 
better  reason  than  this  for  their  practice,  I  do  not 
see  how  they  can  require  others  to  conform  to  them. 


OF    BAPTISM.  G9 

The  fact  is,  parents  usually  think  of  the  baptism  of 
their  children  as  an  act  of  dedication  to  God,  and 
it  is  in  this  that  their  feelings  are  interested.  They 
desire  to  consecrate  them  to  the  Saviour,  (md  they 
take  it  for  granted,  that  they  may  make  the  con- 
secration, "  by  baptizing  them  into  the  name  of  the 
Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 
Under  the  impulse  of  their  affectionate  ''feelings" 
they  forget  to  ask  whether  their  proposed  course 
will  be  agreeable  to  the  great  Head  of  the  church. 
This  should  not  be.  Men  must  not  set  up  their 
"feelings"  as  the  standard,  and  bring  God's  law  to 
bend  to  them.  We  must  first  ascertain  the  will  of 
God,  as  revealed  in  the  Scriptures,  and  then  en- 
deavor to  bring  our  feelings  cheerfully  to  accord 
with  that  will.  Inftmt  dedication  is  eminently 
proper,  but  let  it  be  performed  so  as  not  to  violate 
a  law  of  Christ's  kmgdom.  Let  the  fond  parent 
take  the  child  of  his  affections  into  his  closet,  and 
there,  in  secret,  solemnly  consecrate  it  to  the 
service  of  his  Father  who  seeth  in  secret.  Let  his 
solemn  vows  of  consecration  be  followed  by  appro- 
priate efforts,  and  he  may  expect  the  blessing  of  the 
God  of  heaven  upon  his  offspring. 

But  an  argument  in  favor  of  infant  baptism  is 
founded  upon  "  the  nature  and  fitness  of  things." 
This  argument  entirely  overlooks  the  distinction 
between  positive  institutions  and  moral  duties. 
These  last,  such  as  repentance,  faith,  justice, 
benevolence,  praise,  prayer,  may  be  deduced  "  from 
the  nature  and  fitness  of  things."  Not  so  with 
positive  institutions.  These  depend  for  their  au- 
thority on  the  loill  of  the  founder,  and  unless  that 
will  has  been  clearly  expressed,  they  cannot  be 
binding.     To  attempt  to  establish  the  claims  of  a 


70  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

religious  ceremony,  by  reasoning  "  from  the  nature 
of  things,"  is  essentially  absurd  and  fearfully  dan- 
gerous. It  would  be  as  easy  to  prove,  from  the 
nature  of  Christian  humility,  that  washing  one 
another's  feet  is  an  ordinance  of  Christ's  church; 
or,  from  the  nature  of  Christian  fellowship,  that 
greeting  each  other  with  a  "  holy  kiss,"  or  giving 
to  each  other,  in  due  form,  "  the  right  hand  of  fel- 
lowship," is  a  divine  ordinance,  as  to  prove,  from 
the  nature  and  fitness  of  things,  that  infant  baptism 
is  an  appointment  of  Heaven.  Not  a  ceremony  was 
ever  honored  with  a  place  in  the  Romish  ritual,  for 
which  some  such  reason  could  not  be  assigned. 
To  endeavor,  then,  by  reasoning  *'  from  the  nature 
and  fitness  of  things,"  to  fasten  on  the  churches  a 
ceremony,  which  is  neither  commanded  of  God 
nor  countenanced  by  scriptural  example,  is  illogical, 
absurd,  and  fraught  with  the  most  pernicious  con- 
sequences. 

9.  Although  it  is  conceded  that  there  are  no 
commands  or  certain  examples,  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, in  favor  of  infant  baptism,  yet  it  has  been 
supposed  indirectly  to  find  support  from  several 
passages  of  Scripture,  which  I  now  notice. 

Matt.  19  :  13,  14.  "  Then  were  there  brought 
unto  him  little  children,  that  he  should  put  his 
hands  on  them  and  pray  :  and  the  disciples  rebuked 
them.  But  Jesus  said,  Suffer  little  children,  and 
forbid  them  not,  to  come  unto  me,  for  of  such  is 
the  kingdom  of  heaven."  It  is  said,  the  phrase, 
**  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven,"  means, 
for  to  such  the  Idngdom  of  heaven  belongs  :  they 
have  a  right  to  its  blessings.  In  support  of  this 
rendering,  Matt.  5  :  3,  is  quoted  :  "  Blessed  are 
the  poor   in  spirit, /br  theirs  is  the   kingdom  of 


OF  -BAPTISM.  71 

heaven."  But  there  is  a  marked  difference  between 
the  two  passages,  in  the  Greek,  as  well  as  in  our 
own  version.  Respecting  the  poor  in  spirit,  it  is 
said,  of  them, OT  of  these,  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven; 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  made  up  of  these.  These^ 
the  poor  in  spirit,  these  only,  are  the  subjects  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.  In  relation  to  the  children, 
it  is  said,  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven;  not, 
oi  these,  but  of  such  as  these,  of  persons  like  these 
children.  TSee  an  account  of  the  same  transac- 
tions, Mark  10  :  13—16,  Luke  S  :  15—17.]  The 
English  edition  of  the  Polyglot  Testament  (New 
York,  1832)  gives  the  true  sense.  "  Of  such  is  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  ;  "  that  is,  "  of  persons  resem- 
bling children  in  disposition  ;  having  their  inno- 
cence, simplicity,  humility,  teachableness." 

So  Barnes,  in  his  note  on  the  place  :  *'  The 
kingdom  of  heaven  evidently  means  here  the 
church.  Whosoever  shall  not  be  humble,  unam- 
bitious, and  docile,  shall  not  be  a  true  follower  of 
Christ,  or  a  member  of  his  kingdom.  Of  such  as 
these — that  is,  of  persons  icith  such  tempers  as 
these  —  is  the  church  to  be  composed.  He  does 
not  say,  of  those  infants,  but  of  such  persons  as 
resemble  them,  or  were  like  them  in  temper,  was 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  made  up." 

So  Kuinoel,  Rosenmueller,  and  Bloorafield. 

Acts  2  :  39.  "  For  the  promise  is  unto  you,  and 
to  your  children,  and  to  all  that  are  afar  off,  even 
as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God  shall  call." 

What  **  promise  "  ?  Certainly  not  any  promise 
found  in  the  covenant  with  Abraham ;  for  the  mat- 
ters therein  contained  have  nothing  to  do  with  the 
subjects  of  which  he  is  speaking,  namely,  the 
influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit.     But  he  refers  to  the 


73  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

promise  recorded  Joel  2  :  28,  which  had  already 
been  adduced  in  the  seventeenth  verse.  "  To  your 
children."  In  Joel,  to  their  "  sons  and  daughters," 
who  should  be  old  enough  to  prophesy.  The  word 
**  children  "  here  denotes  descendants,  posteriti/,  and 
has  no  reference  to  children  as  children.  [See 
Barnes  and  Bloomfield.] 

1  Cor.  7  :  14.  "  For  the  unbelieving  husband  is 
sanctified  by  the  wife,  and  the  unbelieving  wife  is 
sanctified  by  the  husband ;  else  were  your  children 
unclean,  but  now  are  they  holy." 

It  is  said  that  the  children,  being  '*  holy,"  are 
to  be  considered  "  as  belonging  to  the  Christian 
community — arc  to  be  treated  as  Christian  chil- 
dren." Admit  that  the  children  are  to  be  reckoned, 
m  some  sense,  with  the  Christian  community,  it 
does  not  follow  that  they  are  connected  with  it  in 
such  a  sense  as  to  require  them  to  be  baptized :  ad- 
mit that  they  are  to  be  treated  as  Christian  chil- 
dren, the  question  arises,  How  are  Christian  children 
to  be  treated  ?  We  are  not,  by  any  means,  here 
informed,  that  such  children  are  to  be  considered 
proper  subjects  of  Christian  baptism.  If  they  are 
to  be  so  considered,  let  it  be  proved  from  other 
parts  of  the  word  of  God,  and  then  it  will  be  con- 
ceded, that  the  children  of  parents,  one  of  whom  is 
an  unbeliever,  must  be  baptized. 

A  slight  examination  will  show  that  the  passage 
affords  no  support  for  the  practice  of  infant  bap- 
tism. 

The  Corinthians  had  inquired  of  Paul,  whether 
the  marriage  connection  between  a  Christian  and 
an  unbeliever  ought  to  be  dissolved.  Paul  answers 
in  the  negative.  In  the  verse  quoted,  he  gives  a 
reason  why  diversity  of  religion  should  not  author- 


or    BAPTISM.  73 

ize  a  separation,  and  in  assigning  this,  he  anticipates 
the  objection,  "  Shall  I  not  be  polluted  by  such 
close  union  with  a  profane  and  polluted  person?" 
To  which  the  answer  is,  "  No  :  the  believing  wife 
is  not  polluted  by  the  unbelieving  husband,  but 
rather  the  unbelieving  is  sanctified  (made  cere- 
monially clean,  or  holy,)  by  the  believing."  For 
otherwise,  (namely,  if  the  unbelieving  party  be  not 
thus  clean,)  your  children  would  be  considered 
impure  and  unclean.  But  you  believe  they  are  not 
unclean  ;  therefore  you  may  be  satisfied  that  your 
connection  is  lawful  and  proper. 

Or  thus :  As  the  man  and  wife  are  one,  they  are 
cereinonialhj  clean,  (holy  ;)  so  that  they  are  not  to 
be  separated.  If  this  were  not  so,  your  children 
would  be  unclean,  {ceremonially,  not  civilly,)  and 
the  pious  parent  could  lawfully  have  no  intercourse 
with  them,  must  not  even  touch  them ;  but  **  now," 
since  the  unbelieving  parent  is  thus  affected  by  the 
believing,  your  children  are  clean,  ceremonially 
pure,  "holy,"  and  the  marriage-bond  must  not  be 
broken. 

The  whole  case  may  be  decided  by  a  single  con- 
sideration :  the  holiness  here  spoken  of  is  ascribed 
to  the  vnhelicving  parent,  as  well  as  to  the  children ; 
and  if  the  children  are  so  far  affected  by  the  piety 
of  the  believer  as  to  be  entitled  to  the  ordinances 
of  the  church,  the  unbelieving  parent  is  affected  to 
the  same  extent,  and  must  be  entitled  to  the  same 
privileges. 

Prof  Stuart  remarks  on  this  passage,  ^' It  can- 
not mean  that  the  children  are  made  the  proper 
subjects  of  baptism ;  for  if  this  were  the  case,  then 
the  unbelieving  husband  or  wife  would  be  made 
so  by  the  believing  party.     Further  ;  such  a  sense 


74  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

would  be  inapposite  to  the  course  of  the  reason- 

Barnes,  in  the  course  of  an  exposition  of  the 
passage,  agreeing  in  the  main  with  the  above, 
remarks,  "  There  is  not  one  word  about  baptism 
here  ;  not  an  allusion  to  it ;  nor  does  the  argument, 
in  the  remotest  degree,  bear  upon  it." 

Rom.  11.  The  argument  from  this  chapter  is 
the  same  as  that  already  noticed  under  the  fourth 
head  of  this  discourse.  I  will  here  observe,  there 
is  not  a  word  in  the  whole  chapter  to  show  that 
the  apostle  had  a  single  thought  respecting  any 
external  rite  or  ordinance  whatever.  It  may  be 
inferred  from  his  representations,  that  the  Jewish 
and  the  Christian  dispensations  are  similar,  so  far 
as  the  spiritual  and  essential  nature  of  religion  is 
concerned  ;  nothing  more  than  this  can  be  logically 
deduced  from  the  chapter.  So  Barnes,  Stuart,  and 
Bloomfield,  who  avail  themselves  of  every  passage 
which  promises  the  slightest  support  to  Pedo-bap- 
tist  views,  have  never  thought  of  deriving  proof 
from  this  chapter. 

The  arguments  which  are  usually  employed,  by 
the  ablest  writers  in  favor  of  infant  baptism,  have 
now  been  presented  and  examined.  Do  these 
arguments  prove  it  to  be  an  ordinance  of  the  great 
Head  of  the  church,  appointed  by  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  binding  on  all  the  churches  1  If  proved, 
whence  is  the  proof  derived  ?  From  the  passages 
of  Scripture  just  examined  ?  They  "  do  not  hint  at 
the  subject."  "  From  the  nature  and  fitness  of 
things?"  This  argument  cannot  be  applied  to  pos- 
itire  institutions.     They  are  obligatory  only  because 

*  Manuscript  Lectures. 


OF    IIAPTISM.  /i> 

they  are  commanded ;  but  it  is  granted  that  infant 
baptism  is  nowhere  commanded  in  the  word  of  God. 
From  its  being  "  agreeable  to  tlie  feelings  of  pa- 
rents "  ?  But  this  is  a  question  of  fact,  not  of  feel- 
ing; o{  duty,  not  of  desire.  We  must  not  by  our 
*^  feelings  "  decide  what  ought  to  be  God's  word, 
but  must  submit  our  feelings  to  whatever  is  God's 
word.  From  "the  baptism  of  households"?  It 
is  not  proved  there  v.as  a  single  infant  in  those 
households;  and  if  there  were  many,  the  Holy 
Ghost  has  added  circumstances  which  clearly  show 
that  "  the  narrative  speaks  only  of  adults  or  intelli- 
gent agents."* 

Is  infant  baptism  proved  "  from  church  history"  ? 
But  while,  from  the  earliest  period,  the  baptism  of 
believers  appears  on  every  page  of  history,  her 
voice  is  dumb  respecting  infant  baptism  for  two 
hundred  years  after  Christ.  Throughout  the  Acts 
of  the  Apostles,  the  Epistles,  and  all  the  writings 
of  the  fathers,  down  to  TertuUian,  there  is  not  even 
an  allusion  to  this  subject.  Nothing  is  said  in  the 
New  Testament,  nothing  in  the  fathers,  concerning 
children  who  had  received  "  the  seal  of  the  cove- 
nant." Though  often  addressed,  the  children  of 
believers  are  never  reminded  of  the  obligat'.ons 
which  this  covenant,  made  by  their  parents  on  their 
behalf,  imposes.  Parents  also,  although  admon- 
ished to  "  train  up  tiieir  children  in  the  nurture  and 
admonition  of  the  Lord,"  are  never  called  on  to 
"  remember  the  covenant  "  in  which  they  gave  their 
children  to  God,  at  their  baptism.  In  short,  we 
have  no  hint  at  the  baptism  of  infants,  till  the  ordi- 
nance was  considered  essential  to  salvation. 

*  Neander. 


76  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

Is  the  practice  argued  from  ''  proselyte  bap- 
tism"? It  is  settled  by  the  decision  of  modern 
critics,  that  the  baptism  of  proselytes  was  not  known 
among  the  Jews  till  after  the  destruction  of  the 
second  temple,  A.  D.  70. 

Is  the  duty  enforced  from  "  the  Abrahamic  cov- 
enant, and  the  substitution  of  circumcision"  1  But 
we  have  seen,  that  the  covenant  with  Abraham  is 
not  the  covenant  with  believers.  The  token  of  this 
covenant,  as  applicable  to  the  Gentiles,  was  solemn- 
ly disavowed,  at  a  convention  of  the  apostles  and 
elders  in  Jerusalem.  Nor  was  a  syllable  uttered 
respecting  baptism,  as  a  substitute  for  the  disa- 
vowed token.  Besides,  if  we  say  circumcision 
was  a  type  of  baptism,  we  violate  a  great  principle 
of  interpretation,  viz.,  nothing  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment is  to  be  considered  as  typified  by  the  Old, 
unless  clearly  so  regarded  by  the  sacred  writers 
themselves.  If  we  depart  from  this  canon,  we  open 
the  door  to  a  deluge  of  allegorical  absurdities.  We 
must  agree,  then,  with 

Starck.  "  The  connection  of  circumcision  with 
infant  baptism  deserves  no  consideration,  since 
there  were  physical  reasons  for  circumcision  in 
infancy." 

Augusti.  "  The  parallel  between  circumcision 
and  baptism  is  altogether  foreign  to  the  Ncto  Tes- 
tament." 

Prof  Lange.  "  This  comparison  [of  baptism 
with  circumcision]  is  without  foundation,  because 
the  only  circumcision  of  the  gospel  dispensation  is, 
according  to  Paul,  the  circumcision  of  the  heart." 

Rheinhard,  Morus,  and  Doederlein  say,  '"Infant 
haptism  is  not  to  he  found  in  the  Bible." 

Gesenius,  the  celebrated  Hebrew  lexicographer, 


OF    B  ATT  ISM.  77 

being  informed  that  the  Baptists  of  America  prac- 
tise immersion,  and  reject  the  baptism  of  infants, 
remarlied,  "  They  do  right  —  that  is,  according  to 
the  Bible." 

But  to  proceed.  Is  the  obligation  to  baptize 
infant  children  made  out  "  from  the  identity  of  the 
church "  I  We  have  seen  that  this  identity  is 
nothing  to  the  purpose,  so  long  as  the  Christian 
dispensation  differs  from  the  Jewish,  in  its  rites  and 
its  subjects.  The  resemblance  in  the  case  isijiter- 
nal  and  spiritual,  not  external  and  ritual. 

Finally,  is  "  the  silence  of  the  New  Testament 
concerning  infant  baptism"  a  proof  that  Christians 
are  bound  to  observe  it  as  a  divine  institution? 
Can  silence  establish  a  positive  institution,  or  a 
blank  give  us  specific  and  definite  instructions? 

I  repeat,  do  the  foregoing  arguments,  separate  or 
combined,  prove  infant  baptism  to  be  a  divine 
ordinance,  and  binding  on  the  followers  of  Christ  ? 
In  the  New  Testament,  faith  and  baptism  are 
alwntjs  joined  together ;  not  a  whisper  is  heard 
concerning  the  application  of  the  ordinance  to 
infants,  till  six  or  eight  generations  of  Christians, 
after  Christ,  have  gone  to  the  mansions  of  rest.  If, 
therefore,  this  practice  is  to  be  regarded  as  a  requi- 
sition of  the  Saviour,  the  labor  of  proving  it  to  be 
such  assuredly  rests  on  those  who  would  lay  the 
obligation  on  the  churches.  As  the  proof  is  not 
made  out  from  the  arguments  above  noticed,  I 
might  here  pause.  I  am  not  bound  to  advance  a 
single  consid'-ration  against  infant  baptism,  or  in 
favor  of  believers'  baptism.  This  latter  stands  as 
the  baptism,  the  only  baptism  recognized  in  the 
gospel,  till  proof,  full  and  decisive  proof,  is  adduced, 
showing  that  infant  baptism  is  also  enjoined.     No 


78  MODE    AND    SUIUECTS 

man  is  at  liberty  to  apply  the  sacred  rite  of  baptism 
to  any  other  subject  than  a  believer,  till  he  can 
show,  beyond  all  reasonable  doubt,  that  such  an  ap- 
plication is  required  by  the  Founder  of  the  Chris- 
tian system.  It  is  not  enough  that  the  practice  in 
question  be  innocent,  or  even  appears  to  be  useful ; 
it  must  be  required. 

But  although,  according  to  every  rule  of  fair, 
logical  reasoning,  it  cannot  be  demanded,  yet  I  am 
willing,  as  a  gratuity,  to  suggest  some  reasons  for 
thinking  the  baptism  of  believers    to   be  the 

ONLY  gospel  baptism. 

I.  This  is  evident,  in  the  first  place,  from  the 
spiritual  nature  of  the  Christian  dispensa- 
tion. 

"  The  crreat  characteristic  which  distinguishes 
the  present  economy  from  that  which  has  vanished 
away,  is  its  spirituality.  The  ecclesiastical  consti- 
tution which  commenced  in  the  family  of  Abraham, 
and  was  fully  organized  by  the  ministry  of  Moses, 
was  not  only  religious,  but  political.  Church  and 
state  were  then  one ;  for  the  civil  government  was 
then  a  theocracy.  It  embraced  all  who  were  na- 
tives of  Judea.  To  be  a  member  of  the  Jewish 
church,  and  a  subject  of  the  civil  government,  was 
the  same  thing ;  for  to  the  church  God  held  a  polit- 
ical relation.  But  to  the  Christian  church  God 
holds  no  political  relation.  Though  the  Son  is 
King  in  Zion,  and  wields  a  mighty  sceptre,  yet  he 
rules  by  a  spiritual,  not  a  civil,  sway.  If,  then,  the 
kingdom  of  Christ  is  strictly  spiritual :  if  the  sub- 
jects of  it  '  are  born,  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of 
the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God  ;  '  if 
they  are  not  to  say  within  themselves,  'We  have 
Abraham  to  our  father,  because  God  is  able  of  the 
very  stones  to  raise  up  children  unto  Abraham,'  — 


OF    BAPTISM.  79 

then,  how  incongruous  is  it  with  the  nature  of  that 
kingdom,  to  give  one  of  its  sealing  rites  to  those 
who  can  furnish  no  evidence  of  a  spiritual  regener- 
ation, and  who  are  connected  with  tlie  subjects  of 
it  only  by  ties  of  natural  or  civil  relationship ! 
Whai  a  confounding  is  this  of  the  relations  of  na- 
ture and  of  grace,  of  the  claims  of  the  flesh  and  of 
the  spirit,  of  the  immunities  of  the  church  and  of 
the  world  !  But  if  true  Christians  'are  all  children 
of  God  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus  ; '  if  as  many  as  have 
been  baptized  into  Christ,  ^  have  put  on  Christ ;'  if, 
in  his  kingdom,  '  there  is  neither  circumcision  nor 
uncircumcision,  neither  Jew  nor  Greek,  neither 
bond  nor  free,  neither  male  nor  female,'  but  all 
*  are  one  in  him,'  —  then  how  fitting,  how  becoming 
it  is,  that  all  such,  and  only  such,  should  show  forth 
their  '  peculiar  relation  to  him,'  by  being  baptized 
into  his  name  !  "  * 

II.  The    stgnificaxcy    of    baptism,    and    the 

OBLIGATIONS    UNDER    WHICH     ITS     RECEPTION    LAYS 

ITS  SUBJECTS,  afford  conclusive  proof  that  it  should 
be  applied  only  to  believers. 

On  examining  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  we  find 
baptism  every  where  regarded  as  a  public  profes- 
sion of  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Those 
*'  who  gladly  received  the  word  were  baptized." 
So  "  Crispus"  and  many  of  the  Corinthians,  hear- 
ing, "  believed  and  were  baptized."  Hence  bap- 
tism is  considered  the  solemn  initiatory  rite  of 
admission  into  the  Christian  church.  As  soon  as 
a  person  was  baptized,  he  was  called  a  "  saint,"  a 
"  disciple,"  a  "  believer."  So,  by  baptism,  we 
sacredly  bind  ourselves  to  believe  the  doctrines  of 
the  Saviour,  to  obey  his  precepts,  to  lead  pious, 

*  Christian  Review. 


80  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

godly  lives,  after  his  example.  Paul  says,  "  As 
many  of  you  as  have  been  baptized  into  Christ, 
have  put  on  Christ ; "  that  is,  are  Christians,  and  are 
therefore  bound  to  confess  him  for  your  Lord  -and 
Master,  to  obey  him,  and  to  follow  his  example. 
Peter  calls  baptism  "  the  answer  of  a  good  con- 
science toward  God.'"  The  meaning  of  the  word 
here  rendered  "  answer,"  is,  engagement,  pledge, 
or  promise,  and  so  denotes  anij  solemn  obligation 
ivhich  one  assumes  before  God.  The  idea  of  the 
apostle  is,  By  baptism  we  take  upon  ourselves  the 
sacred  obligation,  in  the  presence  of  God,  to  main- 
tain a  good  conscience,  to  be  watchful  against  sin, 
and  to  strive  after  holiness.  As  the  Israelites, 
being  baptized  unto  Moses  in  the  cloud  and  in  the 
sea,  submitted  themselves  to  his  authority  and 
guidance,  so  baptism  into  the  name  of  Christ  is  an 
oath  of  allegiance  to  him,  as  a  sovereign ;  it  is  a 
*'  dcvotemeni  "  to  him,  an  oath  of  entire  consecra- 
tion to  him,  a  voluntary  yielding  up  of  the  whole 
body  and  spirit  a  "  living  sacrifice  "  to  his  glory. 
It  gives  a  beautiful  and  strong  expression  to  the 
feelings  of  the  Christian,  who  can  say, — 

"  Were  the  whole  realm  of  nature  mine, 
That  were  a  present  far  too  small ; 
Love,  so  amazing,  so  divine, 

Demands  my  soul,  my  life,  my  all." 

But  nothing  but  the  baptism  of  believers  can  meet 
the  representations  here  given.  Infants  cannot 
profess  their  faith,  or  put  on  Christ,  or  acknowl- 
edge their  obligations  to  maintain  the  answer  of  a 
good  conscience,  or  practise  the  self-devotement 
which  is  required  of  the  baptized.  And  yet  all 
these  are  exhibited  in  the  New  Testament  as  essen- 
tied  to  the  nature  of  baptism. 

The  New  Testament  also  represents  baptism  to 


OF    BAPTISM.  81 

be  emblematical  of  the  death  and  resurrection  of 
Christ.  "  Know  yc  not,  that  so  many  of  us  as 
were  baptized  into  Jesus  Christ,  were  baptized  into 
his  DEATH?" — or  did,  by  our  baptism,  acknowl- 
edge his  death,  as  declared  in  the  gospel  ?  "  Burip.d 
with  him  in  baptism,  wherein  "  (in  which  emblem) 
"  also  ye  are  risen  with  him,  through  faith  of  the 
operation  of  God,  who  hath  raised  him  from  the 
dead.''  Here  the  apostle  associates  our  being 
quickened,  or  rising  to  a  holy  life,  Avith  Christ's 
rising  from  the  grave.  And  he  reminds  us  of  the 
source  of  all  our  hopes,  ("  having  forgiven  your 
trespasses,")  by  reminding  us  of  the  significant  and 
solemn  act  by  which  we  publicly  devote  ourselves 
to  the  Saviour,  "  being  buried  with  him  in  bap- 
tism." 

Baptism  is  also  significant  of  the  belief  of  the 
subject  of  it  in  the  resurrection  of  the  body.  "  Else, 
what  shall  they  do  who  are  baptized  for  the  dead? 
If  the  dead  rise  not,  why  are  they  then  baptized 
for  the  dead?  "  *  That  is,  if  there  shall  be  no  res- 
urrection, why  do  the  followers  of  Christ,  by  their 
very  baptism,  profess  their  belief  in  the  doctrine 
of  the  resurrection  ?  And  why  is  baptism  so  sig- 
nificant a  sign  of  our  dying,  and  rising  again? 

But  what  avails  all  this  fulness  of  meaning,  this 
richness  and  preciousness  of  instruction  in  the  gos- 
pel ordinance,  if  it  is  to  be  thrown  away  upon  un- 
conscious infancy  ?  But  if  only  those  who  believe 
are  proper  recipients  of  the  ordinance,  then  indeed 
can  we  perceive  it  to  be  instructive,  impressive, 
and  delightful. 

III.  We  have  seen,  from  the  spiritual  nature  of 
Christianity,  and  from  the  significancy  and  uses  of 

*  1  Cor.  15 :  29. 


82  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

the  ordinance,  that  baptism  is,  in  its  nature,  adapt- 
ed to  believers  only.  If  any  doubt  yet  remains,  as 
to  the  duty  of  confining  it  to  believers,  ail  uncer- 
tainty will  be  removed  by  considering  the  bearing 

of  THE    APOSTOLICAL    COMMISSION    OU    tllis    SUbjCCt  : 

"  Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing 
them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son, 
and  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  teaching  them  to  observe 
all  things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you ;  and 
lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the 
world."  This  is  the  law^  under  which  the  minis- 
ters of  Christ  are  instructed  to  go  forth,  as  the 
agents  and  representatives  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and, 
by  their  instrumentality,  convert  men,  receive  them 
into  the  church  by  baptism,  on  a  profession  of 
their  fjith,  and  afterwards  instruct  them  into  the 
knowledge  of  Christ's  commandments;  this  is  the 
law,  established  by  the  King  in  Zion  for  the  form- 
ing and  organizing  of  churches.  The  words  of  a 
law  should  always  be  precise  and  readily  under- 
stood. If  the  legislature  order  the  raising  of  an 
army,  they  describe  the  class  of  men  ?vho  shall  be 
enrolled,  (say,  able-bodied  men  from  18  to  45  years 
of  age,)  and  the  jnanner  in  ivhich  the  enrolment 
shall  be  made.  So  the  law  of  Christ  under  consid- 
eration. There  are  three  things  which  our  Lord 
distinctly  enjoins,  namely,  to  make  disciples  or 
Christians;  to  introduce  the  disciples  (Mark 
16  :  16,  called  believers)  into  the  church  by  bap- 
tism;  and  to  instruct  the  baptized  into  all  the 
duties  of  the  Christian  life.  Can  any  thing  be 
plainer,  than  that  this  law  authorizes  the  baptism 
of  believers  only  ?  But  it  is  said,  the  directions 
of  Christ  here  refer  only  to  "  those  who  are  capa- 
ble of  believing,"  and  the  language  '*  does  not 
forbid"  the  baptism  of  infants.     True,  these  direc- 


OF    BAPTISM.  S3 

tions  command  none  but  believers  to  be  baptized  ; 
and  we  see  good  reason  for  this,  in  the  considera- 
tions, iieretotbre  suggested,  relative  to  the  import 
and  effects  of  baptism.  But  further,  —  the  terms  of 
the  commission,  while  they  enjoin  the  baptism  of 
believers,  do,  most  certainly,  exclude  the  baptism 
of  any  but  believers.  If  I  commission  my  agent  to 
purchase  for  me  a  lot  of  AVebster's  large  diction- 
aries, does  he  not  violate  his  instructions,  if  he  also 
buys  on  my  account  a  lot  of  the  abridgments  1 
But  he  says,  "  You  did  not  forbid  the  purchase  of 
the  abridgments."  "  Did  not  forbid  the  purchase  !  " 
I  answer,  "It  whs  not  necessary  for  me  to  insert 
in  your  commission  a  prohibition  against  purchas- 
ing other  books.  Your  instructions  were  definite; 
and  when  I  directed  you  to  b;iy  the  large  books, 
you  must  have  known  you  had  no  authority  to  buy 
stnall  books ;  you  have  done  it  at  your  own  risk."  — 
You  are  about  to  engage  in  the  cultivation  of  silk, 
and  you  send  a  commission  to  a  friend,  requesting 
him  to  purchase  for  you  5000  mulberry-trees,  (700 
years  old.  In  answering  your  order,  he  sends  you 
5000  of  the  age  prescribed,  and  5900  7nore  of  only 
one  year's  groirth.  You  remonstrate.  Your  friend 
replies,  "  The  words  of  the  commission  referred 
only  to  buying  5900,  which  were  two  years  old  — 
you  did  not  direct  me  not  to  buy  5000  more,  the 
growth  of  the  present  year."  **Nor  was  it  neces- 
sary," you  rejoin.  "  When  you  received  a  commis- 
sion to  purchase  mulberry-trees  of  a  certain  de- 
scription, you  were  as  really  prohibited  to  purchase 
any  others,  on  my  account,  as  if  I  had  said,  in  so 
many  words,  '  Buy  5000  mulberry-trees  two  years 
old,  and  do  not  buy  any  others.'  You  might  as 
well  have  procured  for  me  5000  hicJcory-trees,  and 
urged  that  the  v.ords  of  your   commission  do  not 


84  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

forbid  it!  In  doing  as  you  have  done,  you  have 
not  only  acted  without  authority,  but  also  against 
my  instructions,  and  you  must  abide  the  conse- 
quences." —  So  the  commission  granted  by  our 
Lord  directs  his  ministers  to  baptize  believers, 
and  them  only.  3Icntioning  none  but  believers,  it 
virtually  excludes  all  others.  To  administer  the 
ordinance  to  any  others,  is  to  act  without  the 
authority  of  Christ,  and  against  his  instructions. 
Yea,  more:  "Not  only  does  this  commission  ex- 
clude infants  from  the  baptism  it  enjoins ;  if  there 
were  even  another  commission  requiring  the  bap- 
tism of  infants,  —  when  these  infants  who  have  been 
baptized,  according  to  this  supposed  second  com- 
mission, come  to  believe  the  gospel,  they  must  be 
baptized  according  to  the  commission  now  under 
consideration,  without  any  regard  to  their  baptism 
in  infancy.  The  commission  conunands  all  men  to 
he  baptized,  on  believing  the  gospel.  Had  there 
been  even  a  divinely-appointed  baptism  for  them  in 
infancy,  it  cannot  interfere  with  this  baptism,  nor 
excuse  men  from  obedience  to  the  command  that 
enjoins  believers  to  be  baptized.  The  command  oj 
Jesus  to  every  believer  to  be  baptized,  stands  en- 
graven in  indelible  characters  in  this  commission. 
It  cannot  be  effaced ;  and  I  call  on  all  believers,  on 
their  allegiance  to  the  Son  of  God,  to  submit  to 
this  ordinance  of  his  kingdom." 

"  But,"  it  will  be  said,  "  the  reply  to  this  is  sim- 
ple and  satisfactory.  Suppose  the  ordinance  of 
circumcision  had  been  to  continue,  and  the  com- 
mand had  run  in  these  terms  :  *  Go  ye,  therefore, 
and  disciple  all  nations,  circumcising  them,  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,'  fcc.  Had  such  language 
been  used,  we  should  have  known  that  children 
were  to  be  the  subjects  of  the  rite,  as  well  as  their 


OF    BAPTISM.  85 

parents;  the  previously  existing  practice  would 
have  ascertained  this."  This  is  specious,  but  by 
no  means  conclusive.  Had  such  a  commission 
been  given  to  circumcise,  it  would  have  utterly  ex- 
cluded infants.  Could  a  command  to  circumcise 
believers  include  a  command  to  circumcise  tinhe.- 
lievers  ?  Impossible.  No  matter  what  was  the 
former  practice  with  respect  to  circumcision.  If 
the  apostles  are  commanded  to  circumcise  believ- 
ers, they  cannot,  in  virtue  of  that  commission,  cir- 
cumcise any  but  believers." 

"With  reterence  to  Mark  IG  :  IG,  —  'He  that 
believeth  and  is  baptized,  shall  be  saved  ;  he  that 
believeth  not,  shall  be  damned,' — it  is  said,  "7/' 
we  infer  that  a  person  must  actually  believe,  else 
he  cannot  be  baptized,  we  must  also  infer  that  he 
must  actually  believe,  else  he  cannot  be  saved  ; 
hence  infants  cannot  be  saved.  Certainly,  if 
there  were  no  way  of  saving  infants  but  by  [believ- 
//?i^]  the  gospel,  this  conclusion  is  inevitable.  The 
gospel  saves  none  but  by  faith.  But  the  gospel  [as 
requiring  belief]  has  nothing  to  do  with  infants, 
nor  have  gospel  ordinances  any  respect  to  them. 
The  gospel  has  to  do  with  those  who  hear  it.  It 
is  good  news  ;  but  to  infants  it  is  no  news  at  all. 
They  know  nothing  of  it.  The  salvation  of  the 
gospel  is  as  much  confined  to  believers,  as  the  bap- 
tism of  the  gospel  is.  None  shall  ever  be  saved  by 
the  gospel  uho  do  not  believe  it.  Consequently, 
by  the  gospel  no  infant  can  be  saved.  Infants  are 
saved  by  the  death  of  Christ,  but  not  by  [believing] 
the  gospel,  not  by  faith.  They  are  to  be  regen- 
erated, but  not  by  the  gospel  ;  they  must  be  sanc- 
tified for  heaven,  but  not  through  the  truth  revealed 
t;>  man.  The  position  is  therefore  good  ;  none  can 
8 


m 


MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 


be  saved  by  the  gospel,  but  such  as  believe  the 
gospel ;  none  can  be  baptized  with  the  baptism  of 
the  gospel,  but  such  as  believe  the  gospel.  There 
is  no  exception  in  either  case."  * 

If  any  thing  more  were  necessary  to  satisfy  us 
respecting  the  commission,  we  have  it  in  the  for- 
mula employed  in  administering  the  ordinance  : 
*'  Baptizing  them  in  {into)  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  Barnes 
gives  the  meaning  thus:  "  Baptizing  them  into  the 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  by  a  solemn  profes- 
sion of  the  only  true  religion,  and  by  a  solemn 
devotion  to  the  service  of  the  sacred  Trinity." 
But  surely  none  but  believers  can  make  this 
*'  solemn  profession,"  and  this  "  solemn  devotion" 
of  themselves  to  the  Trinity.  To  pronounce  these 
words  over  infants,  is  to  use  the  sacred  names  of 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  without  meaning,  or 
with  a  meaning  which  is  wholly  unauthorized  by 
the  commission  of  our  Lord. 

That  none  but  believers  are  entitled  to  baptism, 
is  also  evident  from  the  concluding  direction  of  the 
commission,  "  tfaching  them,"  &c.  The  candi- 
date is  supposed  to  be  old  enough  to  be  taught 
the  other  institutions  of  the  gospel.  Unconscious 
babes  are  of  course  excluded.  This  is  agreeable 
to  the  views  of  many  learned  and  pious  men,  who 
were  not  Baptists. 

Grotius.  "  Christ  properly  requires  teaching  the 
first  elements  of  Christianity  as  preceding  baptism  ; 
which  also  was  always  used  in  the  church  previous 
to  that  ordinance." 

Jerome,  the  most  learned  of  all  the  Latin  fa- 
thers, says,  "Theyj^r5^  teach   all   nations;    then, 

*  Carson, 


OP    BAPTISM.  87 

when  they  are  taught,  they  baptize  them  with 
water;  lor  it  cannot  be  that  the  body  should  re- 
ceive the  sacrament  of  baptism,  unless  the  soul 
has  before  received  true  faith." 

Calvin.  "  Because  Christ  requires  teaching  be- 
fore baptizing,  and  will  have  believers  only  admitted 
to  baptism,  baptism  does  not  seem  to  be  rightly  ad- 
ministered, except  faith  precede." 

Baxter,  speaking  of  the  commission  :  "  This  is 
not  like  some  occasional,  historical  mention  of  bap- 
tism;  but  it  is  the  very  commission  of  Christ  to 
his  apostles  for  preaching  and  baptizing,  and 
purposely  expre.sseth  their  several  works  in  their 
several  places  and  order.  Their  first  task  is,  by 
teaching,  to  make  disciples,  which  by  Mark  are 
called  believers.  The  second  work  is  to  baptize 
them.  The  third  work  is  to  teach  them  all  other 
things,  which  are  afterwards  to  be  learned  from  the 
school  of  Christ.  To  contemn  this  order  is  to  re- 
nounce all  rules  of  order  ;  for  where  can  we  expect 
to  find  it,  if  not  here  ?  I  profess  my  conscience  is 
fully  satisfied  that  there  is  one  sort  of  faith,  even 
saving,  that  must  go  before  baptism." 

It  is  unnecessary,  by  way  of  further  confirmation, 
to  refer  to  the  instances  of  baptism  recorded  in  the 
New  Testament.  In  all  cases,  we  find  only  those 
2vho  believe  permitted  to  receive  the  ordinance. 
So  the  description  of  those  who  composed  the 
churches  in  the  time  of  the  apostles,  shows  that 
none  but  those  who  gave  credible  evidence  of  piety 
had  received  the  rite  of  initiation  into  the  church. 
They  are  said  to  be  "  not  of  the  world;  "  to  have 
'put  on  Christ;"  to  be  "saints;"  to  be  "the 
sons  and  daughters  of  the  Lord  Almighty;  "  to  be 
"  the  elect  of  God  through  sanctification  of  the 
Spirit,  and  belief  of  the  truth  ;  "  to  be  "  the  faithful 


Ob  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

in  Christ  Jesus."  And  there  is  not  the  slightest 
intimation  concerning  the  niembership_ofJ)^a£tized 
infant  £liildren.  '"^ 

In  the  progress  of  these  discourses,  it  has  been 
shown,  it  is  hoped,  that  immersion  is  essential , to 
Christian  baptism  ;  that  infant  baptism  cannot  be 
defended,  either  from  the  Scriptur-.es  of  the  New- 
Testament,  or  from  analogy,  or  from  antiquity ; 
while  the  baptism  of  believers  only  is  demanded  by 
the  spirituality  of  the  gospel  dispensation,  by  the 
design  of  the  ordinance,  and,  especially  and  abso- 
lutely, by  the  terms  of  Christ's  commission.  —  I 
conclude  with  some  practical   observations. 

And,  in  the  first  place,  let  me  address  those  who 
have  already  submitted  themselves  to  the  ordinance 
of  baptism,  according  to  Christ's  appointment. 

"It  is  our  happiness,  my  brethren,  to  feel  an 
unshaken  confidence,  that  we  are  standing  on 
scriptural  ground.  We  have  known  our  Master's 
will,  and  we  have  been  baptized.  We  have  found 
that  his  yoke  is  easy,  and  his  burden  is  light.  In 
obeying,  we  have  had  a  sweet  consciousness  of  his 
approbation.  And  when,  from  time  to  time,  we 
have  had  occasion  to  gather  around  the  baptismal 
waters,  we  have  had  some  awakening  of  salutary 
recollections,  some  renewing  of  solemn  vows,  some 
increase  of  faith,  some  foretaste  of  the  glory  that 
shall  be  revealed.  Happy,  thrice  happy  would  it 
be  for  our  own  souls,  for  the  church  of  Christ,  for 
the  honor  of  our  Lord  in  this  ordinance,  and  for  a 
perishing  world,  were  we  to  recur  constantly  to  first 
principles,  and  always  bear  in  mind  the  obligations 
of  the  baptized y 

"  Did  I  say,  we  have  known  our  Master's  will  ? 
Yes,  brethren,  we  have  known  it.  We  have  been 
convinced,  that  we,  being  dead  to  sin,  as  he  died  a 


OF    UAPTISM.  89 

sacrifice  for  sin,  should,  in  our  baptism,  acknowl- 
edge ourselves  obligated  to  the  Father,  and  the 
Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost;  to  rise  to  a  new  and  holy 
life,  as  he,  to  wiiose  sufferings  we  owe  our  deliver- 
ance from  sin  and  condemnation,  rose  from  the 
dead,  and  as  we  hope  for  a  glorious  resurrection, 
when  the  trumpet  of  the  archangel  shall  sound. 
We  have  acknowledged  our  obligations.  Heaven 
and  earth  have  witnessed.  Christians  living  in 
error  on  this  subject,  and  attached,  as  men  natu- 
rally are,  to  what  has  been  handed  down  from  their 
fathers,  have  marked  us,  and  the  men  of  the  world 
have  marked  us.  They  have  observed  our  lives. 
And  have  we  never  heard  the  keen  reproach,  What 
do  ye  more  than  others'?  Ah,  my  brethren!  if  it 
were  only  a  slander,  we  could  bear  it.  He  who 
has  loved  us,  and  died  for  us,  has  taught  us  to  en- 
dure patiently  the  unfavorable  opinions  and  repre- 
sentations of  men.  '  Blessed  are  ye  when  men 
shall  say  all  manner  of  evil  against  you,  falschj,  for 
my  sake.'  But  when  he  himself,  our  Lord  and 
Master,  into  whose  death  we  have  been  baptized, 
casts  on  us  the  grieved  and  piercing  look  which  he 
cast  on  Peter,  when  he  denied  him,  and  asks.  What 
do  ye  more  than  others  ?  —  we  can  only  go  out  and 
weep  bitterly." 

"  From  his  throne  on  high  he  looks  down  this 
day  on  all  the  baptized ;  he  looks  down  on  us,  and 
seems  to  say,  '  "  /  am  he  that  livcth,  and  was  dead, 
and  behold  I  am  alive  forevermoreP  To  you  I 
have  ijiven  to  know  my  will,  and  to  hope  for  eter- 
nal life  through  my  death.  Into  my  death  ye 
have  been  bMptized.  Created  anew,  ye  have  been 
set  forth  as  alive  from  the  dead.  From  the  waters 
of  baptism  ve  have  come  forth,  as  citizens  of 
'  8* 


90  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

heaven,  to  sojourn  awhile  on  earth,  that  ye  may 
show  to  all  the  purity  and  power  of  my  gospel, 
being  yourselves  examples  of  all  that  is  lovely  and 
of  good  report,  in  ail  the  relations  and  conditions 
of  life.  It  is  yours  to  endure,  as  seeing  Him  who 
is  invisible;  and  to  shed  around  you  an  influence 
that  shall  continually  evince  your  heavenly  birth. 
To  you  I  have  looked  to  be  first  and  foremost  in 
promoting  the  interests  of  my  kingdom.  Where 
are  ye,  at  this  eventful  period  1  Are  ye  duly  mind- 
ful of  whri-t  is  implied  in  your  baptism?  Are  ye 
truly  and  faithfully  doing  your  utmost  for  that 
cause  for  which  I  became  poor,  and  suffered  unto 
death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross  1  Are  ye  dead 
to  sin  ?  Are  ye  living  and  laboring,  not  for  your- 
selves, but  for  me ;  for  the  riches  and  honors,  not 
of  earth,  but  of  heaven  ?  "  Blessed  is  that  servant, 
whom  his  Lord,  when  he  cometh,  shall  find  so 
doing."  To  you  I  have  intrusted  the  vindicating 
of  my  wisdom  and  goodness  in  the  institution  of 
baptism,  by  exemplifying  in  your  lives  its  holy  ten- 
dency. Vain  are  all  other  vindications,  without 
this.  My  command  will  not  be  obeyed.  Men  will 
misunderstand  and  neglect  baptism,  and  cling  to 
their  own  substitutions  and  traditions.  "  Neither 
will  they  he  jjersuadcd  though  one  rose  from  the 
dead."  Ye  that  have  been  baptized  into  my  death, 
must  rise  from  the  dead,  in  a  l3etter  than  the  literal 
sense  of  the  words.  Wherever  ye  are,  ye  must 
stand  forth,  witnesses  alive  indeed  from  the  dead, 
walking  in  newness  of  life,  and  presenting,  every 
day  and  every  hour,  a  lovely,  practical  demonstra- 
tion of  the  import  and  utility  of  baptism,  of  the 
baptism  which  I  have  commanded.  Ye  must, 
every  one  of  you,  become  a  book,  of  unanswerable 
arguments    and   eloquent  expostulations;    a  living 


OF    BAPTISM.  91 

epistle  from  my  own  hand,  known  and  read  of  all 
men.  So  will  ye  honor  me  and  my  command.  So 
will  biiptism  be  restored  to  the  place  and  the  pur- 
poses for  which  I  ordained  it,  as  the  initiatory  rite, 
marking  the  boundary  between  the  world  dead  in 
sin  and  the  church  alive  to  God,  ascribing  the 
spiritual  life  of  the  believer  to  my  death;  and 
wiienever  it  is  administered,  proclaiming  to  all,  by 
an  emblem  more  expressive  than  words,  that"  I  am 
the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life."  '  "  * 

With  regard  to  those  of  my  hearers,  who  hope 
they  love  the  Saviour,  and  desire  to  keep  his  com- 
mandments, but  have  never  been  buried  with  their 
Lord  in  baptism,  let  me  ask.  What  doth  hinder  you, 
my  brethren,  to  arise  and  be  baptized  ?  If  any 
dependence  can  be  placed  on  our  investigations 
into  the  meaning  of  language,  and  if  the  language 
of  the  Bible  is  to  be  understood  according  to  the 
universal  laws  of  interpretation,  has  it  not  been 
made  evident,  beyond  reasonable  doubt,  that  the 
religious  inuncrsion  of  a  believer,  in  the  name  of 
the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  and  that  only, 
is  the  baptism  j)rcsci'ibed  by  Christ  to  his  folloic- 
ers  ?  Why,  then,  xvill  you  not  keep  his  command- 
ments? Are  you  still  unsatisfied  1  Have  you  not, 
then,  reason  to  fear  for  yourselves  that  you  are 
under  the  influence  of  unhappy  prejudices  ?  I, 
too,  have  felt  their  power.  I  have  writhed  under 
the  agony  of  the  stricture  with  which  they  bound 
me.  When  the  providence  of  God  compelled  me 
to  enter  on  the  inquiries  which  resulted  in  a  change 
of  views,  I  was  wrapped  in  prepossessions  against 
the  Baptists,  strong  as  armor  of  triple  brass.  I 
cherished  a  spirit  of  proud  indifference,  not  to  say 

"  Prof.  Chase's  Sermon. 


92  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

contempt,  totally  opposed  to  the  temper  of  the 
candid  inquirer  after  the  will  of  Christ.  Possibly, 
my  friends,  a  similar  spirit  may  have  possessed  you. 
But  the  demon  must  be  cast  out,  or  the  Saviour  will 
not  smile  on  your  search  after  truth. 

And  now,  though  the  evidence  seems  to  be  op- 
posed to  your  long-cherished  opinions,  are  there 
difficulties  in  your  mind  yet  to  be  removed  ?  Do 
you  ask,  "  If  Pedo-baptists  are  in  error,  why  are 
they  so  much  blessed  of  God  V  I  answer,  Why 
is  the  religion  of  Mohammed  permitted  to  spread 
its  triumphs  over  some  of  the  fairest  portions  of  the 
globe  ?  Why  is  Popery  allowed  to  extend  itself  over 
one  half  the  Christian  world?  Wc  cannot  tell. 
Why  are  some  churches  holding  error  among  our- 
selves prospered?  If  you  are  a  Presbyterian,  I  ask, 
Why  are  our  Methodist  brethren  favored  of  God, 
while  they  reject  the  important  doctrines  of  elec- 
tion, and  the  perseverance  of  the  saints  ?  If  you 
are  a  Methodist,  I  inquire.  Why  are  Presbyterians 
distinguished  by  the  favor  of  Heaven,  while  they 
embrace  such  pernicious  errors  as  election  and  the 
saints'  perseverance  ?  We  cannot  answer  these 
questions.  It  is  not  for  us  to  decide  how  great 
may  be  the  errors  of  churches,  and  yet  God  shall 
prosper  them  fur  the  sake  of  the  truth  which  they 
do  hold.  The  fact  is,  the  Lord  bestows  his  bless- 
ings on  individuals,  churches,  and  denominations, 
in  proportion  to  their  regard  for  those  doctrines 
which  are  fundamental  to  salvation  —  in pj'oportion 
to  their  real  piety.  Nor  is  it  by  any  means  true, 
as  the  objection  seems  to  assume,  that  the  Baptists 
have  not  been  visited  by  the  smiles  of  the  King  in 
Zion.  Without  creed  or  catechism,  without  gen- 
eral assemblies,  or  other  high  judicatories  of  the 
church,  witliout  archbishops  or  bishops,  they  have 


OF    KAPTISM.  91$ 

walked  tocrether  harmoniously,  uniting  with  each 
other  in  efforts  to  extend  Christ's  kingdom,  till  they 
embrace  in  their  churches  a  h\rger  body  of  believers 
than  any  other  denomination  in  the  United  Stales. 
Baptists  also  have  taken  the  lead  in  imodern  mis- 
sions, having  sent  the  first  missionaries  to  India. 
With  them  originated  the  Monthly  Concert  of 
prayer  for  the  conversion  of  the  world.  With  them 
also  originated  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  So- 
ciety, which  was  the  parent  of  the  American  Bible 
S9ciety.  They  have  also  prepared  a  translation  of 
the  entire  Bible  for  the  millions  of  Burmah,  and 
for  the  hundreds  of  millions  in  China.  The  Bap- 
tists also  have  some  sources  of  happiness,  to  which 
their  brethren  of  other  denominations  are  strangers. 
While  they,  equally  with  others,  delight  in  the 
early  dedication  of  their  children  to  the  Saviour, 
and  while  they  act  in  firm  reliance  on  the  divine 
promises  of  a  blessing  on  their  efforts  to  train  up 
their  offspring  for  God,  they  have  a  great  advan- 
tage in  being  permitted,  of  their  own  free  choice, 
publicly  to  consecrate  themselves  to  Father,  Son, 
and  Holy  Ghost,  in  the  way  of  the  divine  appoint- 
ment. In  the  primitive  and  scriptural  mode  of 
doing  this,  they  also  find  superior  instruction  and 
edification. 

But  do  you  say,  you  '^^  cannot  feci  close  communion 
to  he  right  ?  "  But  no  matter  whether  you  feci  it  to 
be  right  or  not :  that  is  not  the  question.  The 
question  is  this  :  Is  close  communion  right  ?  If  it 
be  required  by  the  gospel,  it  must  be  maintained,  at 
whatever  sacrifice  of  feeling.  Before  I  proceed 
with  this  objection,  I  will  make  a  single  remark  : 
the  subject  of  strict  communion,  though  usually  the 
first,  ought  to  he  the  last  point  which  should  engage 
the  attention  of  a  candid  inquirer.     In  considering 


94  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

the  subject  of  baptism,  the^rs^  topic  of  considera- 
tion should  be,  What  is  Christian  baptism?  The 
second  particular  is.  What  persons  may  receive  the 
ordinance?  When  these  two  points  are  established 
in  the  mind,  according  to  the  Scriptures,  then,  and 
not  till  then,  may  the  objection  now  before  us  en- 
gage the  attention.  The  subject  of  communion, 
1  important  and  deeply  interesting  as  it  is,  mnst  not 
'  enter  the  mind  at  all,  till  the  subjects  involved  in 
the  preceding  interrogations  are  disposed  of  A 
reflecting,  logical  mind  will  not  entertain  a  thought 
respecting  it,  till  it  has  obtained  satisfaction  on  the 
other  points.  To  think  of  it,  while  the  investiga- 
tion into  the  other  topics  is  in  progress,  will  only 
fill  the  mind  with  prejudice,  warp  the  judgment, 
and  lead  to  erroneous  conclusions.  To  proceed  in 
reply  to  the  objection.  The  case  stands  thus  :  The 
Baptists  believe  that  no  unbaptized  person  should  he 
admitted  to  the  Lord's  supper.  This  opinion  they 
hold  in  common  with  the  mass  of  Christians,  of  all 
denominations.  They  also  believe,  as  peculiar  to 
them,  that  nothing  but  the  immersion  of  a  believer 
on  a  profession  of  his  faith,  is  Christian  baptism. 
They  cannot,  therefore,  receive  to  the  communion 
of  the  Lord's  table,  any  person  who  has  not  been 
immersed  on  a  profession  of  faith.  And  in  this 
they  act  precisely  as  do  their  brethren  of  other  de- 
nominations. Will  Presbyterian  ministers  receive 
A  to  their  communion  persons  who  have  never  been 
^  baptized?  Certainly  not.  If  an  applicant,  of  un- 
doubted piety,  ask  admission  to  the  supper,  while, 
in  the  judgment  of  the  Pedo-baptist  minister  pre- 
siding, he  has  never  received  baptism,  his  request 
will  not  be  granted.  Nor  will  it  alter  the  case, 
should  the  candidate  have  submitted  himself  to 
some  rite,  which  he  himself  conscientiously  believed 


OF    BAPTISM.  95 

to  be  baptism.  If,  for  example,  a  person  should  be 
sprinkled  icith  6/oor/ instead  of  water,  believing  ^/ia^ 
to  be  a  sufficient  baptism,  the  administrator  of  the 
ordinance  would  assuredly  reject  his  application. 
The  miiii.^tcr  who  presides  at  the  table  of  the  Lord, 
is  always  the  judge,  whose  prerogative  it  is  to  de- 
cide whether  the  candidate  possesses  the  qualifica- 
tions prescribed  by  the  Lord  Jesus  as  requisite  for 
admission  to  the  sacred  feast.  If  an  applicant 
comes  forward,  who,  in  the  officiating  minister's 
opinion,  has  not  been  baptized,  he  will  be  refused. 
But  the  Baptists  do  no  more  than  this — they  cor- 
dially invite  to  the  table  all  believers  who  have  been 
baptized,  and  withhold  the  invitation  from  those 
only,  who,  in  their  opinion,  have  never  received 
gospel  baptism.  Do  they,  then,  merit  censure  ?  Be- 
fore you  can  justly  complain,  you  must  satisfy  them, 
either  that  something  beside  immersion  is  baptism, 
or  that  baptism  is  not  an  indispensable  prerequisite 
to  the  Lord's  supper.  Having  learned  the  evidence 
on  which  Baptists  ground  their  views,  you  will 
hardly  undertake  the  former  part  of  the  alternative; 
if  you  assume  the  latter  part,  you  appear  in  opposi- 
tion to  almost  the  whole  Christian  world, 

"  But  do  you  not  believe  that  Pedo-baptists  are 
sincere?"  Yes;  but  sincerity  will  not  justify  us  in 
a  breach  of  the  divine  rule. 

"  How  can  you  fellowship  Christians  and  Chris- 
tian ministers  in  prayer,  praise,  and  preaching,  and 
yet  not  admit  them  to  the  communion? '^  For  this 
we  have  scriptural  authority  in  the  exhortation  of 
Paul  :  '*  Whereto  we  have  already  attained,  let  us 
walk  by  the  same  rule,  let  us  mind  the  same  thing." 
We  have  attained  to. an  agreement  in  praying  to 
the  same  God  and  Father  of  all ;  and  also  in  preach- 
ing   the   gospel   of  his  Son  Jesuo  Christ  ;   but  we 


9@  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

have  not  attained  to  an  agreement  respecting  the 
subjects  and  mode  of  baptism,  nor  in  the  visible 
qualifications  of  communicants  at  the  Lord's  table. 

*'  But  do  you  not,  by  your  course,  unchurch  other 
denominations,  and  say  they  are  not  churches  of 
Christ  1"  We  do  not  say  they  are  not  churches  of 
Christ.  True,  distinguished  Pedo-baptists  have 
said,  "  TVhere  there  is  no  baptism,  there  are  no  visi- 
ble churches  ;  "  *  but  we  regard  it  as  sufficient  for 
us  to  say  of  those  brethren  who  do  not  administer 
the  ordinance  according  to  the  law  of  Christ's 
kingdom,  that  their  churches  are  not  regularly 
constituted. 

*'  But  if  w^e  cannot  commune  together  on  earth, 
how  can  we  in  heaven  ?  "  This  objection  appeals 
to  some  of  the  worst  passions  of  depraved  human 
nature.  It  assumes  that  Baptists  arrogate  to  them- 
selves some  superiority  over  their  brethren,  and 
expect  the  highest  rewards  of  heaven.  It  supposes 
we  are  deficient  in  those  sentiments  of  fraternal 
affection,  which  the  members  of  Christ's  family 
should  ever  cherish  towards  one  another  ;  and  it 
further  supposes  that  the  intercommunion  of  the 
saints  in  glory  is  regulated  by  the  same  laws  which 
govern  the  churches  of  Christ  on  earth.  Never 
was  assumption  more  unjust  —  never  were  supposi- 
tions more  destitute  of  support.  Though  firmly 
persuaded  that  our  views  of  the  ordinances  are 
framed  upon  the  scriptural  model,  yet  we  are  deeply 
conscious  that  in  every  thing  we  come  short,  and 
when  we  have  done  all,  we  are  unprofitable  ser- 
vants. Towards  our  fellow-Christians  who  differ 
from  us,  we  wish  to  feel  emotions  of  the  most  fer- 
vent brotherly  love ;    and  it  is  our  hearts'   desire  to 

^  Di.   Griffin 


OF   BAPTISM.  97 

see  them  walking  in  the  truth,  and  delighting  ihem- 
sehes  in  the  law  of  the  Lord. 

In  regard  to  the  latter  of  the  suppositions  above 
named,  the  following  considerations  may  aid  in 
removing  injurious  prejudices:  *'  In  the  admission 
of  members  to  the  celestial  church,  Christ  acts  as 
a  sovereign  :  in  the  admission  of  members  to  Chris- 
tian churches  on  earth,  we  must  act  as  servants  — 
yielding  implicit,  undeviating  obedience  to  the 
directions  of  our  sovereign  Lord.  The  communion 
of  saints  in  heaven  will  not  consist  in  partaking  the 
symbols  of  Christ's  death,  but  in  the  high  and 
spiritual  intercourse  ;  in  mutual  expressions  of  ad- 
miration, and  gratitude,  while  reviewing  the  dispen- 
sations of  providence  and  grace  towards  them  in 
this  world;  in  mingled  songs  of  praise  to  Him  who 
hath  washed  them  from  their  sins  in  his  own  blood  ; 
and  in  exalted  converse  concerning  the  glorious 
scenes  which  the  revolutions  of  eternity  will  be 
continually  unfolding  to  their  delighted  gaze.  Such 
communion  all  good  men  may  enjoy,  in  a  more 
humble  manner,  in  this  world,  without  ever  sitting 
together  at  the  table  of  our  Lord  —  thus  having  an 
antepast  of  their  communion  in  the  skies." 

Do  not,  then,  Christian  brother,  permit  your 
prejudices  to  represent  strict  communion  as  an 
odious  peculiarity,  repugnant  to  the  spirit  of  the 
gospel  ;  but  go  thou,  and  do  the  bidding  of  thy 
Lord  and  Master. 

But  do  you  further  inquire,  "  How  can  the  great 
and  good  men,  whose  opinions  have  been  quoted  as 
favorable  to  Baptist  views,  still  practise  the  sprin- 
kling of  infants?"  I  answer,  I  cannot  tell:  nor  am 
I  bound  to  explain  the  manifest  contradiction  be- 
tween their  premises  and  their  conclusions ;  between 
9 


98  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

their  principles  and  their  practice.  The  stern 
inveteracy  of  long-cherished  prejudices,  and  the 
circumstances  in  which  some  of  them  are  placed,  — 
being  under  governments  where  dissent  from  the 
established  religion  would  be  instantly  followed  by 
loss  of  place,  of  honor,  wealth,  and  liberty,  —  may 
aid  us  to  discover  an  apology  for  their  course,  if 
not  a  justification  of  it.  It  may  also  be  remem- 
bered, that  while  these  eminent  men  deserve  the 
highest  confidence,  where  learning  and  research 
are  demanded  ;  while  the  ablest  professors  in  our 
colleges  sit  as  youthful  disciples  at  their  feet,  the 
humblest  Christian  in  the  American  churches,  in 
respect  of  a  pure  love  to  Christ,  and  a  desire  to  do 
his  will,  may  be  far  in  advance  of  the  proudest 
scholars  of  Europe.  While,  therefore,  we  properly 
avail  ourselves  of  the  light  shed  by  their  labors 
upon  the  language,  literature,  and  antiquities,  of  the 
Bible,  we  must  not  imitate  their  adherence  to  usages 
which  are  the  inventions  of  men,  not  the  prescrip- 
tions of  God.  They  are  beacons  which  pour  their 
radiance  upon  the  path,  while  they  move  not  along 
the  line;  but  we  must  delight  to  run  in  the  way 
of  Christ's  commandments. 

Again;  do  you  urge,  "  Why  trouble  one's  self 
so  much  about  a  question  o^  much  water  or  oUittle 
water  ?."  It  is  not  "  a  question  of  much  water  or 
of  little  water."  The  controversy  on  this  subject 
re\K\.e?»{o  what  is  Christian  baptism,  and  to  whom 
is  the  ordinance  to  be  administered.  Suppose  we 
could  see  no  reason  for  having  "  much "  water, 
rather  than  "  ZzY^/e,"  still  we  should  not  be  at  lib- 
erty, from  mere  personal  considerations,  without 
reference  to  the  will  of  Christ,  to  substitute  sprin- 
kling for  immersion.  But  there  is  good  reason  for 
employing   so  "  much  "  water  as  to  immerse   the 


OF   BAPTISM.  99 

body.  This  we  have  seen  in  remarking  upon  the 
meaning  and  significancy  of  the  rite.  If  baptism 
were  designed  to  intimate  only  tlie  necessity  of  the 
washing  of  regeneration  and  the  renewing  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  then,  indeed,  a  smaller  quantity  of 
water  might  be  emblematical  of  this  truth.  Even 
in  this  case,  however,  if  the  Christian  felt  his  entire 
depravity,  his  utter  defilement  from  the  sole  of  the 
foot  to  the  crown  of  the  head,  and  desired  to  be 
^^thormighly  washed"  from  his  iniquity,  he  might 
crave  the  entire  immersion  of  the  person  in  the 
waters  of  baptism,  as  symbolical  of  the  universal 
cleansing  which  he  sought  by  the  influences  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  And  when  we  find  that,  in  addition 
to  the  idea  of  internal  purity,  the  Holy  Scriptures 
represent  baptism  as  an  emblem  of  the  burial  and 
resurrection  of  Christ,  and  of  our  own  resurrection, 
both  literal  and  figurative,  we  cannot  but  feel,  that 
immersion  belongs  essentially  to  the  nature  of  the 
ordinance,  and  when  men  sprinkle  a  "  little  "  water 
upon  the  face,  they  practise  an  unwarranted  sub- 
stitution. 

I  repeat,  it  is  not  "  a  question  of  much  water  or 
of  little  water,"  It  is  a  question  relating  to  the 
proper  subjects  of  baptism.  If  the  views  exhibited 
in  these  discourses  are  correct,  it  follows  that  those 
who  practise  the  sprinkling  of  infants,  not  only 
strip  the  ordinance  of  baptism  of  the  meaning  and 
instruction  which  its  divine  Author  has  connected 
with  it,  but  they  act  on  a  principle  which  would 
banish  believers'  baptism  out  of  the  world.  Is  it  a 
matter  of  no  importance  that  the  traditions  of  men 
should  make  void  an  ordinance  of  God  1  Shall 
Baptists  be  accused  of  narrow  views,  of  bigotry 
and  superstition,  because  they  are  desirous  to  res- 


100  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

cue  an  institution  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  from 
perpetual  exile,  and  from  utter  destruction  ? 

It  is  not  "  a  question  of  much  or  of  little  water." 
The  New  Testament  every  where  treats  men  as 
acting  for  themselves  in  matters  of  religion,  and  as 
responsible  for  their  own  acts.  One  man  cannot 
repent  for  another,  or  believe  for  another.  The 
language  of  the  Scriptures  to  each  son  and  daughter 
of  Adam  is.  Repent  thou,  believe  thou  ;  and.  Be- 
lieve thou  and  be  baptized.  The  religion  of  the 
son  cannot  save  the  father,  nor  can  the  religion  of 
the  father  save  the  son.  Every  person  must  engage 
for  himself  to  starve  the  Lord  —  every  one  must  act 
for  himself  But  the  language  of  infant  baptism  is 
diametrically  opposite  to  this  language  of  Scripture. 
It  says,  the  father  can  covenant  for  the  child,  the 
father  can  act  for  him.  The  act  of  the  parent  shall 
answer  for  his  offspring  —  the  faith  of  the  parent 
shall  save  the  child  !  Says  an  eminent  Pedo-baptist 
minister,  A  Christian  parent,  who  uses  the  ordi- 
nance of  infant  baptism  aright,  "  may  be  sure  that 
the  great  Shepherd  and  Bishop  of  souls  has  written 
the  name  of  that  child  before  him,  in  letters  which 
his  infinite  forbearance  and  mercy  will  long  keep 
from  being  blotted  out,  though  the  child  should 
perversely  break  his  father's  covenant."  '*  If  the 
parents  die  while  the  child  is  young,  the  remem- 
brance of  its  dedication  to  God,  and  the  confident 
belief  that  it  was  received  into  his  covenant,  will 
help  them  to  look  at  it  from  the  dying  pillow  with 
peace."  * 

As  exhibited  in  these  extracts,  is  not  infant  bap- 
'tism  manifestly  at  war  with  the  great  doctrine  of 

*  "  The  Baptized  Child.  By  Nehemiah  Adams,  Pastor 
of  Essex  Street  Church.    Boston,  1836." 


OF    BAPTISM.  101 

JUSTIFICATION  BY  FAITH  ?  This  tcaches  that 
faith,  one's  own  faith,  not  another's, — faith,  not 
work.^,  either  his  own  or  another's,  —  shall  save  a 
man.  Shall  the  Baptists  be  ciiarged  with  bigotry 
for  endeavoring  to  uphold  a  doctrine  on  which  the 
great  apo.stle  of  the  Gentiles  has  so  strenuously 
insisted,  as  fundamental  to  the  Christian  system  ? 

I  need  say  nothing  of  the  fatal  influence  of  the 
views  I  am  examining  on  multitudes  of  careless 
adults,  who  are  encouraged  in  a  life  of  impenitence 
by  complacently  dwelling  on  the  covenant  made 
with  God  on  their  behalf,  when  their  parents  pre- 
sented them  for  baptism.  From  their  infancy, 
they  have  been  accustomed  to  reflect  that  they 
have  received  "  the  seal  of  the  covenant,"  have 
been  "made  members  of  Christ,"  and  "children 
of  God,"  having  been  "  regenerated  with  the  Holy 
Spirit."  Is  it  strange  that  such  persons  should 
feel  themselves  safe,  and  at  liberty  to  continue 
in  sin  ? 

It  is  not,  then,  I  reiterate,  a  question  "  of  much 
water,  or  of  little  water."  It  is  a  question  whether 
men  shall  lay  unhallowed  hands  on  an  ordinance 
of  the  great  Head  of  the  church,  and  profanely 
strip  it  of  its  significance  and  its  teachings,  — 
whether  they  shall  strike  down,  in  the  temple  of 
gospel  truth,  the  noble  pillar  of  justifying  faith,  — 
whether  they  shall  lift  from  the  sinner's  conscience 
a  weight  of  personal  responsibility,  laid  there  by 
the  Lord  Jesus  himself,  —  whether  they  shall  abro- 
gate a  law  of  the  King  of  saints: — or  whether 
they  shall  keep  the  ordinances,  as  they  have  been 
delivered  in  the  Statute-Book  of  Heaven,  revering 
the  will  of  the  Sovereign,  and  observing  all  things 
whatsoever  he  hath  commanded,  exactly  as  he  hath 
commanded. 

9* 


102  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

Is  it  suggested  that  "  Baptists  do  not  believe  in 
the  divine  authority  of  the  Old  Testament"  ?  This 
allegation  is  the  offspring  of  an  ignorance  that 
demands  our  pity.  For  a  refutation,  consult  the 
writings  of  Andrew  Fuller,  and  other  eminent 
divines  of  the  denomination.  Their  ministers  also 
select  texts  indiscriminately  from  the  Old  Testa- 
ment and  the  New. 

But  do  you  plead  that  "Baptists  attach  too  much 
importance  to  the  ordinance  of  baptism  "  ?  I  might 
reply,  Pedo-baptists  attach  too  little  importance  to 
it.  When  individuals  are  led  to  inquire  respecting 
the  mind  of  Christ,  do  not  even  ministers  endeavor 
to  quiet  their  uneasiness,  by  telling  them,  "  the 
subject  is  of  no  consequence"  —  "it  is  a  mere 
external  ceremony"  —  "it  is  not  worth  while  to 
trouble  one's  self  about  it"  ?  When  young  converts 
are  seeking  to  know  the  will  of  their  Lord  respect- 
ing the  ordinances  of  his  church,  do  not  their 
spiritual  guides  often  ply  them  with  "  dissuasives  " 
from  investigation?  Do  not  parents  endeavor  to 
restrain  their  children  from  examination,  because 
it  is  pleasant  to  have  all  the  children  in  the  same 
church  with  the  parents?  Are  there  not  numbers 
who  will  not  listen  to  a  sermon  on  the  subject  ?  And 
do  not  even  theological  students,  while  pursuing 
their  studies,  content  themselves  with  a  partial 
view  of  the  matter,  forming  their  conclusions  with- 
out reading  a  single  Baptist  author  ?  And  how 
happens  it  that  the  scriptural  mode  of  administra- 
tion is,  in  many  places,  fallen  into  disrepute? 
How  happens  it  that  immersion,  confessedly  prac- 
tised by  the  apostles,  and  by  the  entire  church  for 
many  centuries,  is  now  covered  with  obloquy,  "  as 
unsuited  to  the  manners  of  a  polished  age  "  1  Do 
not  all  these  things  show  that  many  Pedo-baptists 


OF    BAPTISM.  103 

attach  too  little  importance  to  this  Christian  ordi- 
nance? And,  if  this  state  of  things  continue,  may 
it  not  soon  be  true  with  regard  to  baptism,  as  it 
now  is  of  the  Lord's  supper,  ihat  multitudes  of 
adults  will  be  admitted  to  the  ordinance  without 
any  pretensions  to  piety  ? 

But,  let  me  ask,  liow  important  do  Baptists  be- 
lieve this  rite  to  be  ?  I  answer,  they  do  not  con- 
sider it  a  saving  ordinance.  With  other  Christians, 
they  believe  that  all  the  waters  of  Jordan,  all  the 
waves  of  the  ocean,  are  unavailing  to  wash  away 
sin.  Excrpt  a  man  he  horn  of  God,  his  baptism 
will  profit  him  nothing  as  a  passport  to  heaven. 
But  while  they  do  not  regard  the  ordinance  as 
essential  to  salvation,  they  do  helieve  it  to  he  essen- 
tial to  ohf'dience  to  the  law  of  Christ,  respecting 
the  introduction  of  members  into  the  visible  church. 
They  believe  the  ordinance  of  baptism  should  be 
observed  in  the  way  of  Christ's  appointment. 
True,  it  is  only  an  external  rite;  but  it  is  a  rite 
enjoined  by  Christ  himself —  it  is  a  rite  fnll  of 
meaning.  And  as  any  rite  is  but  a  form,  if  we  do 
not  preserve  the  form,  we  do  not  practise  the  rite. 
Hence  immersion  is  essential  to  baptism.  Hence 
baptism  by  immersion  is  essential  to  obedience  to 
Christ;  essentinl  to  the  highest  instruction  and 
comfort  of  believers  ;  essential  to  the  best  moral 
impression  on  unbelievers;  essential  to  the  purity 
and  stability  of  the  church  of  Christ. 

But,  as  we  are  supposed  to  lay  an  unwarrantable 
stress  on  baptism,  let  us  see  what  importance  is 
attached  to  the  ordinance  by  others. 

Mr.  Barnes,  Note  on  Mark  16:16.  "It  is 
worthy  of  remark  that  Jesus  has  made  baptism  of 
so  much  importance.  He  did  not  say,  indeed,  that 
a  man  could  not  be  saved  without  baptism ;  but  he 


104        '  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

has  strongly  implied  that,  where  this  is  neglected, 
knowing  it  to  be  a  command  of  the  Saviour,  it 
endangers  the  salvation  of  the  soul.  Faith  and 
baptism  are  the  beginnings  of  the  Christian  life ; 
the  one,  the  beginning  of  piety  in  the  soul;  the 
other,  of  its  manifestation  before  men,  or  of  a  pro- 
fession of  religion.  And  no  man  can  tell  how 
much  he  endangers  his  eternal  interests  by  being 
ashamed  of  Christ  before  men." 

Does  the  objection  come  from  Episcopalians  1 
And  what  stress  do  they  lay  upon  baptism?  In 
their  catechism,  to  the  question,  "  How  many  sac- 
raments hath  Christ  ordained  in  his  church  ?  "  — 
they  answer,  "Two  only,  as  generally  necessary  to 
salvation  —  that  is  to  say,  baptism  and  the  supper 
of  the  Lord."  After  the  baptism  of  an  infant,  the 
minister  is  instructed  to  say,  "  Seeing  now,  dearly 
beloved  brethren,  that  this  child  is  regenerate,  and 
grafted  into  the  body  of  Christ's  church,  let  us  give 
thanks  unto  Almighty  God  for  these  benefits." 
And  then  follows  a  part  of  the  Thanksgiving  :  "  We 
yield  thee  hearty  thanks,  most  merciful  Father, 
that  it  hath  pleased  thee  to  regenerate  this  infant 
with  thy  Holy  Spirit,  to  receive  him  for  thine  own 
child  by  adoption,  and  to  incorporate  him  into  thy 
holy  church."  Before  confirmation,  the  baptized 
child  is  required  to  learn  a  catechism.  The  follow- 
ing question  and  answer  will  show  that  he  is  taught 
to  regard  baptism  in  the  same  important  light. 

"Who  gave  you  this  name?"  "  My  sponsors 
in  baptism  ;  wherein  I  teas  made  a  member  of  Christy 
the  child  of  God,  and  an  inheritor  of  the  kingdom 
of  heaven." 

Does  the  charge  come  from  the  Presbyterians  ? 
And  what  stress  do  they  place  upon  baptism  ? 

Iij  their  confession  of  faith,  they  say,  "  Baptism 


OF    BAPTISM.  105 

is  a  sacrament  of  the  New  Testament,  ordained  by 
Jesus  Christ,  not  only  as  a  solemn  admi?^sion  of  the 
party  baptized  into  the  visible  churcii,  but  aJso  to 
be  unto  him  a  sign  and  seal  of  the  covenant  of 
grace,  of  \is  ingrafting  into  Christy  of  regenera- 
tion, of  remission  of  sins." 

Does  the  objection  proceed  from  Congregation- 
alists  ?  And  what  stress  do  they  lay  on  the  ordi- 
nance? Hear  Dr.  Dwight.  "When  children  die 
in  infancy,  and  are  scripturally  dedicated  to  God 
in  baptism,  there  is  much  and  very  consoling  rea- 
son to  believe  that  they  are  accepted  beyond  the 
grave."  He  further  says,  "  There  is,  I  think, 
reason  to  hope  well  concerning  other  children 
dying  in  infancy ;  but  there  is  certainly  peculiar 
reason  for  Christian  parents  to  entertain  strong 
consolation  with  regard  to  their  oifspring."  Here 
Dr.  Dwight  evidently  supposes  baptism  po/verfuUi/ 
to  contribute  to  the  salvation  of  infants.  For  lan- 
guage still  more  remarkable,  refer  to  the  extract  from 
the  "  Baptized  Child,"  given  on  a  preceding  page. 

Is  the  objection  made  by  Methodists  ?  And 
what  stress  is  placed  upon  the  institution  by  them? 
Hear  the  celebrated  John  Wesley,  the  founder  of 
Methodism.  "  Bi/  baptism^  we,  who  were  the 
children  of  wrath,  are  made  the  children  of  God. 
And  this  regeneration,  which  our  church  in  so 
many  places  ascribes  to  baptism,  is  more  than 
barely  being  admitted  into  the  church,  though 
commonly  connected  therewith.  Being  grafted 
into  the  body  of  Christ's  church,  we  are  made  the 
children  of  God  by  adoption  and  grace.  By 
water,  as  the  means,  the  water  of  baptism,  we  are 
regenerated,  or  born  again ;  whence  it  is  called,  by 
the  apostles,  the  washing  of  regeneration.  In  all 
ages,    the    outward    baptism    is    a   means   of  the 


106  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS 

inward.  Herein  we  receive  a  title  to,  and  an  earn- 
est of,  a  kingdom  which  cannot  be  moved.  In 
the  ordinary  way,  there  is  no  other  means  of  enter- 
ing into  the  church,  or  into  heaven.  If  infants  are 
guilty  of  original  sin,  then  they  are  proper  subjects 
of  baptism,  seeing,  in  the  ordinary  way,  they  can- 
not he  saved,  unless  this  be  washed  aiv  ay  by  baptism" 

After  these  quotations,  can  any  one  charge  the 
Baptists  with  attaching  too  much  importance  to 
the  ordinance  of  baptism  1  Whatever  the  language 
employed  in  these  extracts  may  mean,  I  have  never 
met,  in  any  Baptist  writer,  expressions  so  extrav- 
agant. 

But  do  you  fear  that  a  change  of  views,  on  ac- 
count of  baptism,  will  expose  you  to  the  imputation 
of  ''thinking  more  of  external  rites  than  of  in- 
ternal holiness  ;  of  paying  tithes  of  mint,  anise, 
and  curnin,  while  you  neglect  weightier  mat- 
ters?" But  is  it  true,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  that 
Baptists  esteem  the  fundamental  doctrines  of 
Christianity,  and  the  indispensable  duties  of  piety, 
less  than  those  who  differ  from  them?  Are  they 
not  equally  attached  to  the  doctrines  of  the  entire 
depravity  of  the  natural  heart,  the  necessity  of  the 
influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  regeneration,  the 
atonement  by  the  blood  of  Christ  1  And  may  not 
a  Christian  be  desirous  to  keep  the  ordinaiices  of 
the  Lord  blameless,  and,  at  the  same  time,  earn- 
estly long  after  inward  conformity  to  the  Saviour  ? 
What  if  baptism  is  an  "  external  rite"?  Is  it  not 
enjoined  by  Him  who  says,  "  If  ye  love  me,  keep 
my  commandments  "  ?  And  is  not  every  command 
of  Christ  of  equal  authority?  May  you  select  cer- 
tain of  his  commands,  and  yield  them  obedience, 
while  you  neglect  others  ?  Or  mtist  you  keep  all 
his  statutes?     What  if  baptism   be  "not  essential 


OF    BAPTISM.  107 

to  salvation"  ?  Will  you  observe  only  those  pre- 
cepts, the  neglect  of  which  would  ruin  your  soul  ? 
Can  you  not  act  from  love  to  the  Saviour?  and  will 
you  do  nothing  in  obedience  to  him,  unless  you  are 
certain  disobedience  will  be  punished  with  everlast- 
ing destruction  ?  Admit  that,  in  comparison  with 
faith  and  repentance,  baptism  is  as  the  mint,  anise, 
and  cumiu,  compared  with  the  weightier  matters 
of  the  law;  yet  it  deserves  to  be  remembered  that 
the  tithes  of  these  small  herbs  must  he  paid  as 
truly  as  the  tenths  of  the  larger;  and  under  the 
old  dispensation,  the  wilful  omission  to  present 
these  before  the  Lord  would  have  been  visited 
with  the  divine  judgments.  "  Bring,"  then,  my 
brethren,  "bring  all  the  tithes  into  the 
STOREHOUSE,"  and  see  what  God  will  do  for  your 
souls. 

And  now,  *'  Who  is  on  the  Lord's  side  1  " 
"  Arise  and  be  baptized  for  the  remission  of  sins." 
But  do  you  still  plead,  "  I  am  too  far  advanced 
in  years  to  trouble  myself  respecting  this  matter ''? 
Too  old  to  obey  your  Saviour  ?  Many  venerable 
men,  and  women  too,  have  not  thought  themselves 
too  old  to  be  tortured  on  the  rack,  or  to  be  burnt 
at  the  stake,  rather  than  break  the  commandments 
of  the  Saviour  they  loved. 

"I  should  dishonor  the  memory  of  my  parents, 
if  I  were  to  renounce  the  baptism  of  my  infancy." 
If  you  are  satisfied  that  the  direction  of  our  Saviour 
is  to  all,  ^'Believe  and  be  baptized,'^  you  are  now 
dishonoring  Him  by  refusing  publicly  to  avow  your 
attachment  to  him,  according  to  the  methods  pre- 
scribed in  his  word,  "  He  that  loveth  father  or 
mother  more  than  me,  is  not  worthy  of  me."  "  And 
he  that  taketh  not  his  cross  and  followeth  after  me, 
is  not  worthy  of  me." 


108  MODE    AND    SUBJECTS    OF    BAPTISM. 

And  now,  brethren,  do  not  stigmatize  me  as  a 
disturber  of  the  peace  of  churches,  and  a  divider 
of  Christ's  house.  Believing,  before  God,  the  reli- 
gious immersion  of  a  believer,  and  that  only,  to  be 
Christian  baptism,  how  can  I  do  otherwise  than 
remonstrate  and  exhort,  warn  and  entreat?  And  if 
the  views  presented  in  these  discourses  are  agreea- 
ble to  the  Scriptures,  why  should  you  cry,  Peace, 
Peace  !  when  there  is  no  peace  —  Truth,  truth  ! 
when  there  is  no  truth  ?  It  is  the  duty  of  those  who 
admit  immersion  to  be  the  primitive  and  scriptural 
mode  of  baptism,  to  profess  their  faith  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  as  dead,  buried,  and  risen  for  their 
salvation,  hy  being  buried  with  him  by  boptisin. 
And  if  any  entertain  doubts  respecting  the  lawful- 
ness of  giving  the  sacred  rite  to  unconscious  babes, 
it  becomes  them  to  reflect,  whether,  with  a  good 
conscience,  they  can  still  countenance  a  practice 
which  abolishes  the  baptism  of  believers,  and  thus 
sets  aside  an  ordinance  of  Christ.  And,  finally, 
EXAMINATION  is  the  duty  of  ALL  — :  an  impartial,  thor- 
ough, prayerful  examination.  If  my  brethren  can 
enter  on  such  an  examination  without  prejudice, 
and  pursue  it  in  the  fear  of  God,  the  result  will  not 
be  doubtful.** 

May  the  Lord  Jesus,  of  his  infinite  mercy,  bap- 
tize us  all  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  sanctifying  us  for 
his  service  on  earth,  and  for  "the  communion  of 
saints  "  in  glory !  —  Amen. 

*  A  Baptist  minister  of  Western  Virginia,  within  the  Ir.sl  four 
years,  has  baptized  over  two  hundred  persons,  who  had  already 
been  members  of  Pedo-baptist  churches.  An  aged  minister,  now 
residing  in  Mississippi,  has,  at  various  times,  buried  with  Christ, 
in  baptism,  more  than  four  hundred  persons  of  this  class,  of 
whom  forty  were  Pedo-baptist  ministers! 


VALUABLE    WORKS 

PUBLISnED   AND    FOR   SALE    BY 

GOULD,  KENDALL  &  LINCOLN, 

yubiisl)ers,  JBookseUcrs  S^  Stationers, 

69  WASHINGTON  STREET. 


GRUDEN'S   CONDENSED  CONCORDANCE. 


COMPLETE   CONCORDANCE 

TO    THE 

HOLY   SCRIPTURES. 

BY 

ALEXANDER  CRUDEN,  M.  A. 

A    NEW   AXD   CONDENSED   EDITION,  WITH  AN  INTRODUCTION 
BY  THE  REV.  DAVID  KING,  L.  L.  D 

C^  Cruden's  Concordance  has  stood  for  more  than  a  century,  not 
only  unrivalled  but  unapproached,  in  the  department  of  biblical  learning 
lo  wliich  it  belongs. 

It  has  always  been  regarded  as  more  important  to  ministers  and  theo- 
logical students,  than  almost  any  other  book  except  the  Bible  itself;  and 
yet  it  has  hitherto  been  printed  in  so  large  a  size,  and  so  expensive  form, 
that  a  large  portion,  even  of  the  clergy  themselves,  have  not  found  it 
within  their  ability  to  possess. 

The  work  now  offered  to  the  public  is  not  the  result  of  a  process  by 
which  the  original  is  divested  of  that  which  constituted  its  excellence, 
but  is  a  lull  and  fair  copy  of  all  that  is  valuable  in  Cruden  as  a  Concor- 
dance. The  principal  variation  from  the  original  consists  in  the  exclu- 
sion of  the  Bil)le  Dictionary,  which  has  long  been  an  incumbrance  to  the 
larger  work,  and  the  accuracy  and  value  of  which  has  been  depreciated 
by  works  of  later  date,  containing  recent  discoveries,  facts,  and  opinions 
unknown  to  Cruden.  The  condensation  of  the  quotations  of  Scripture, 
arranged  under  their  most  obvious  heads,  while  it  diminishes  the  bulk 
of  the  work,  greatly  facilitates  the  finding  of  any  required  passage. 

Ministers,  students  in  theology.  Sabbath  School  teachers,  and  the  pri- 
vate Christian  will  gladly  avail  themselves  of  an  indispensable  book  of 
reference,  furnished  them  h\  a  style  of  so  much  beauty  and  compacuiess, 
and  at  so  low  a  price. 

The  publishers  are  confident  that  for  accuracy  it  will  exceed  any  other 
book  of  the  kind  heretofore  published,  and  the  extremely  low  price  at 
which  it  is  offered,  induces  them  lo  believe  that  it  will  receive  a  liberal 
patronage. 

1 


SEOOND  EDITION. 

Apostolical  and  Primitive   Church; 

POPULAR  IN   ITS    GOVERNMENT    AND    SIMPLE    IN    ITS   WORSHIP. 

BY  LYMAN  COLEMAN. 

With  an  Iniroductory  Essay,  by  Dr.  Aogustus  Neander,  of  BerEn, 

I%e  Publishers  have  been  favored  ivith  many  highly  commendatory  notices 
of  this  work,  from,  individuals  and  public  journals.  The  first  edition  found 
a  rapid  sale  :  it  has  been  republished,  in  England .,  and  received  with  much 
favor:  it  is  universally  pronounced  to  be  standard  authority  on  this  sub- 
ject ;  and  is  adopted  as  a  Text  Book  in  Theological  Seminaries. 

From  the  Professors  in  Andover  Theol.  Seminary. 
The  undersigned  are  pleased  to  hear  that  you  are  soon  to  publish  a 
new  edition  of  the  '  Primitive  Church,'  by  Lyman  Coleman.  They  re- 
gard this  volume  as  the  result  of  extensive  and  original  research  ;  as 
embodying  very  important  materials  for  reference,  much  sound  thought 
and  conclusive  argument.  In  their  estimation,  it  may  both  interest  and 
instruct  the  intelligent  layman,  may  be  profitably  used  as  a  text-book 
for  tlieological  students,  and  should  especially  form  a  part  of  the  libraries 
of  clergymen.  The  Introduction,  by  Neander,  is  of  itself  sufficient  to 
recommend  the  volume  to  the  literary  public. 

Leonard  Woods,    Bela  B.  Edvi^ards, 
Ralph  Emerson,    Edwards  A.  Park. 

From  the  Professors  in  Auburn  Theol.  Seminary. 
The  work  of  the  Rev.  Lyman  Coleman,  on  '  The  Apostolical  and 
Primitive  Church,'  we  regard  as  a  faithful  exhibition  of  testimonies  on 
the  primary  organization  and  government  of  ihe  Christian  church,  and 
on  the  progress  of  subsequent  changes  ;  and  although  in  our  inferences 
in  favor  of  a  popular  government,  we  might  incline  more  than  the  author 
to  a  representative  instead  of  a  pure  democracy,  we  cannot  but  welcome 
the  publication  as  seasonable,  and  as  furnishing  a  desirable  means  of 
correct  information  on  the  subject  which  has  been  too  much  neglected  in 
the  training  of  theological  students,  of  ministers,  and  of  people  ia  the 
Congregational  and  Presbyterian  churches. 

Henry  Mills, 

Prof.  Biblical  Criticism. 
Baxter  Dickinson, 
Prof.  Sacred  BJietoric  and  Pastoral  Theology 

From  the  Professors  in  Yale  College. 
The  undersigned  consider  the  Rev.  L.  Coleman's  work  on  the  Apos- 
tolical and  Primitive  Church,  as  being,  in  general,  correct  in  sentiment, 
judicious  in  the  exposition  of  the  Scriptures,  and  both  copious  and  fair 
in  citations  from  the  early  ecclesiastical  writers.  As  a  book  of  reference 
it  possesses  great  value  ;  and,  we  think,  it  might  be  used  advantageously 
as  a  text-book  in  lectures  to  theological  students. 

James  Murdock,  Chauncet  A.  Goodrich. 

Nath'l  W.  Taylor,    James  L.  Kingsley. 
Leonard  Bacon. 

From  John  Harris,  D.  D.,  Author  of  '  Mammon,'  etc. 
I  need  not  say  that  the  perusal  of  your  work  has  very  highly  gratified 
me,  as  it  must  have  done  numbers  besides.  Its  well  digested  and  rig:htly 
applied  learning,  catholic  spirit,  and  comprehensive  plan,  cannot  fail  to 
place  it  among  standard  works  in  its  particular  department,  and  to  ren- 
der it  subservient  to  the  final  triumph  of  scriptural  Christianity.  I  shall 
certainly  make  it  a  class  book  on  the  subject  on  which  it  treats. 

Yours,  respectfully,  John  Harris. 

3 


THE  PSALMIST: 
'^  New  Collection  of  ^umns, 

FOR   THE    USE    OF   THE   BAPTIST   CHURCHES. 
BY  BARON  STOW  AND  S.  F.  S3IITH. 

ASSISTED   BY 

William  R.  Williams,  New  "'^ork;   Georoe  B.  Ide,  Rufus  W.  Griswolo, 

Pennsylvania;  Stephen*  P.  Hill,  Maryland:  James  B.  TaVLOK, 

Virginia;  Joux  L.  Dagg,  Alabama;  William  T.  Beanxly, 

Soutli  Carolina:  R,  B.  C.  Howell,  Tennessee; 

Samuel  W.  Lv.nd,  Ohio. 

[nT'  The  publishers  xcovld  inform  all  interested^  that  this  work  has  become 
THE  BOOK  of  the  Baptist  denomination,  liaving  been  introduced  into  every 
State  in  the  Union  and  the  British  provincts.  Within  eighteen  months 
from  its  first  publication,  over  fifty  thousand  copies  were  issued. 
As  a  collection  of  hymns  it  stands  unrivalled. 

The  follojcing  notice,  from  the  Miami  Association,  of  Ohio,  is  but  a  speci- 
men of  a  host  of  others,  received  by  tiie  publishers. 

The  Committee  appointed  to  report  upon  a  hymn  Jwok,  have  attended 
to  the  duty  assigned  them,  and  report  the  following  as  their  views.  For 
several  reasons,  the  Committee  recommend  to  the  attention  of  the  church- 
es the  new  work,  called '  The  Psalmist,'  as  worthy  of  special  patronage, 

1.  It  is  exceedingly  desirable  that  our  whole  denomination  should  use. 
in  th«  praises  of  the  sanctuary,  the  same  psalms,  hymns,  and  spiritual 
songs.  To  secure  uniformity,  we  prefer  'The  Psalmist,'  because  it  is 
strictly,  and  from  the  foundation,  designed  lor  the  use  of  Baptist  church- 
es,—  is  not  surpassed  by  any  hymn  book  in  the  world, —  and  the  propri- 
etorship is  wholly  Baptist,  by  which  the  greatest  tacilities  can  be  furnished 
for  its  introduction  to  the  churches,  and  the  perpetuity  of  its  publication. 

2.  It  has  been  prepared  with  the  greatest  care.  In  no  instance  has  a 
hymn  book  gone  through  so  thorough  a  revision  ;  and  the  influence  which 
is  rationally  exerted  in' its  favor  by  the  committee  of  revision,  —  by  the 
known  qualification  of  the  editors,  by  the  popularhy  of  the  Boston  pub- 
lishers, and  by  the  fact  that  it  is  connected  with  the  series  of  the  Am. 
Bap.  Pub.  Society,  —  will  necessarily  give  it  an  ultimate  circulation 
greater  than  that  of  any  other  similar  work  in  the  churches.  3.  It  is  a 
book  of  very  superior  merits,  and  probably  will  not  need  any  important 
emendation  for  a  long  period  to  come.  The  Committee,  therefore,  rec- 
ommend to  the  churcnes  the  adoption  of  this  work,  as  well  calculated  to 
elevate  the  taste  and  the  devotion  of  tlie  denomination. 

All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted, 

S.  W.  Lyxd,  C/iairman. 


COMPANION   rOR   TIIE  PSALMIST. 

CONTAINING    ORIGINAL    MUSIC. 

Arranged  for  hymns  in  '  The  Psalmist,'  of  peculiar  character  and  metre 

BY  N.  D.  GOULD. 

This  work  is  designed,  and  the  music  has  been  written,  expressly  to 
meet  the  wants  of  those  who  use  '  The  Psalmist.'  It  is  adapted  to  the 
numerous  beautiful  hymns  of  peculiar  metre,  which  are  embraced  in  that 
collection,  few  of  which  are  to  be  found  in  other  hymn  books,  and  to  none 
of  which  have  any  tunes  been  hitherto  adapted.  They  are  simple,  aud 
suitable  for  either  private,  social,  or  public  devolioQ. 
3 


MY  PROGRESS  IN  ERROR, 

AND  EECOVEEY  TO  TRUTH. 

Or,  a  Tour  through  Universalism ,  Unitarianism,  and  Skepticism. 
Extract  of  a  Letter  from  Professor  Stuart,  Atidover. 
Gentleme.v  :^I  have  received  a  copy  of  '  M3"  Progress  in  Error,' 
and  read  it  with  attention  and  much  interest.  I  take  the  liberty  to  say, 
that,  in  my  judgment,  the  author  of  that  book  has  written  a  plain  and 
unvarnished  account  of  the  operations  not  only  of  his  own  mind,  but  of 
many  others.  The  author  has  gone  through  the  whole,  without  personal 
abuse  of  any  body,  and  without  any  slanderous  insinuations.  It  seems 
to  me,  that  what  he  has  said  about  the  operations  of  Unitarian  sentiments, 
he  has  been  compelled  to  say  by  a  regard  to  truth.  In  fact,  I  regard  the 
book  as  a  remarkable  example  ofpru'dent  forl>earance,  as  to  stigmatizing 
either  opponejits  or  their  sentiments.  I  predict  it  will  be  found  fault 
with,  ami  violently  attacked.  But,  in  my  humble  opinion,  the  reason  of 
this  will  be,  that  the  author  has  drawn  a  true  likeness  of  so  many  ;  and 
when  this  is  held  up  to  pubric  view,  it  is  not  a  very  pleasing  portrait. 
Who  likes  to  be  seen  in  a  forbidding  picture  ?  The  book  will  be  read, 
notwithstanding  newspaper  criticism  ,  and,  if  I  do  not  miscalculate  great- 
ly, it  will  aid  much  in  opening  the  eyes  of  the  public,  as  to  the  ■workings 
and  evasions  of  a  skeptical  spirit.     Bid  the  author  of  it  God  speed. 

Your  friend  and  servant,        M.  Stuart. 


CHURCH  DISCIPLINE; 

The  Scripture  Doctrine  of  Church  Order  and  Government. 
By  Rev.  Warham  Walker,  Homer,  N.  Y. 
One  volume.     18mo.     Cloth. 
[r7°"  A  ti7nely  and  very  useful  work. 
From  the  Professors  in  Hamilton  Literary  and  Theol.  Institution. 
We  have  carefully  perused  the  most  important  parts  of  the  manuscript, 
and  the  result  has  been  highly  gratifying.     The  work  is  characterized 
by  great  sobriety  and  caution.     We  beli&\-e  the  views  it  presents  to  be 
scriptural ;  and  that  where  they  are  not  supported  by  the  direct  and  pos- 
itive declaration  of  the  Word  of  God,  they  are,  at  least,  sustained  by  the 
general  spirit  of  the  teachings  of  Christ  and  his  apostles.     Such  a  work 
as  this,  we  think,  is  greatly  needed  ;  it  is  well  adapted  to  promote  correct 
views  and  uniformity  of  practice  in  relation  to  the  subject  of  which  it 
treats.     We  cordially  recommend  it  to  lite  carelul  perusal  of  the  mem- 
bers of  our  churches.  J.  S.  Maginxis, 

T.   J.    CONANT, 

Hamilton.,  Nov.  6,  1S43.  A.  C.   Kendrick. 


ANTIOCH; 

Or,  Increase  of  Moral  Power  in  the  Church  of  Christ. 

By  Rev.  P.  Church.  With  an  Introductory 
Essay,  by  Rev.  Baro.n  Stow. 
Here  is  a  volume  which  wall  make  a  greater  stir  than  any  didactic 
work  that  has  been  issued  for  many  a  day.  It  is  a  book  of  close  and 
consecutive  thought,  and  treats  of  subjects  which  are  of  the  deepest 
interest  at  the  present  time,  to  the  churches  of  this  country.  The  author 
is  favorably  known  to  the  religious  public,  as  an  original  thinker,  and  a 
forcible  writer,  —  his  style  is  lucid  and  vigorous.  The  Introduction, .by- 
Mr.  Stow,  adds  much  to  tlie  value  and  attractions  of  the  volume.  —  Chr. 
Refiector.  4 


GODFREY  WILLIAM  VON  LIEBNITZ. 

ON  THE    BASIS  OF  THE  GERMAN  WORK  OF  DR.  G.  E.  GUHRATTEK. 

BY  JOHN  M.  MACKIE. 

This  work  will  be  sought  for  and  eagerly  read  by  the  scientific  and 
curious. — N.  Y.  Observer. 

Exceedingly  interesting  aad  instructive.  — Pror.  Transcript. 

The  peculiar  relation  which  Liebnitz  sustained  during  his  lite  to  Locke 
and  Newton,  may  partly  account  for  the  fact  that  a  biography  of  this  great 
man  has  been  so  long  wanting  in  the  English  language.  .  .  .  We 
commend  this  book,  not  only  to  scholars  and  men  of  science,  but  to  all 
our  readers  who  luve  to  contemplate  the  life  and  labors  of  a  great  and 
good  man.  It  merits  the  special  notice  of  all  who  are  interested  in  the 
business  of  education,  and  deserves  a  place  by  the  side  of  Brewster's 
Life  of  Xewton,  in  all  the  libraries  of  our  schools,  academies,  and  litera- 
ry institutions.  —  Christian  Watchman. 

It  ought  to  be  read,  not  only  by  the  man  of  science,  but  also  by  the 
general  scholar,  whatever  may  be  his  particular  profession. 

N.  Y.  Baptist  Advocate. 

There  is  perhaps  no  case  on  record  of  a  single  man  who  has  so  gone 
the  rounds  of  human  knowledge  as  did  Liebnitz  :  he  was  not  a  recluse, 
like  Spinoza  and  Kant,  but  went  from  capital  to  capital,  and  associated 
with  kings  and  premiers.  All  branches  of  thought  were  interesting  to 
him,  and  be  seems  in  pursuing  all  to  have  been  actuated  not  by  ambi- 
tion, but  by  a  sincere  desire  to  promote  tlie  knowledge  and  welfare  of 
mankind.  —  Christian  World. 


GERMAN  PHILOLOGISTS. 

CLASSICAL  STUDIES:  Essays  on  Ancient  Literature  and  Art, 
With  the  Biography  and  Correspondence  of  eminent  Philologists.  By 
Bar.xas  Sears,  President  Newton  Theological  Institution.  B.  B 
Edwards,  Professor  Andover  Theological  Seminary,  and  C.  C.  Fel 
•fox,  Professor  Harvard  University. 

From  the  Neiv  England  Puritan. 
This  volume  is  no  common-place  production.  It  is  truly  refreshing, 
when  we  are  obliged,  from  week  to  week,  to  look  through  the  mass  of 
books  which  increases  upon  our  table,  many  of  which  are  extremely 
attenuated  in  ihougiitand  jejune  in  style,  to  find  something  whicii  carries 
us  back  to  the  pure  and  invigorating  influence  of  the  master  minds  of 
antiquity.  The  geiulemen  who  have  produced  tliis  volume  deserve  the 
cordial  thanks  of  tlie  literary  world. 

From  the  Providtnce  Journal. 
The  object  of  the  accomplished  gentlemen  who  have  engaged  in  its 
preparation  has  been,  to  foster  and  extend  among  educated  men,  in  this 
country,  the  already  growing  interest  in  classical  studies.  The  design 
is  a  noble  and  generous  one,  and  has  been  executed  with  a  taste  and 
good  sense  that  do  honor  l)oth  to  the  writers  and  the  publishers.  The 
book  is  one  wiiich  deserves  a  place  in  the  library  of  every  educated  man. 
To  those  now  engaged  in  classical  study  it  cannot  fail  to  be  highly  use- 
ful, while  to  the  more  advanced  scholar,  it  will  open  new  sources  of 
interest  and  delight  in  the  imforgotten  pursuits  of  his  earlier  days. 


lliplc|)'0   ^oti:0 


THE  FOUR  GOSPELS,  WITH  NOTES. 

Chiefly  Explanatory  ;  intended  principally  for  Sabbath  School  Teachers 

and  Bible  Classes,  and  as  an  Aid  to  Family  Instruction. 

By  Henry  J.  Ripley,  Newton  Theol.  Ins. 

Seventh  Edition. 

[Cr"  Thi^  work  should  be  in  the  hands  of  every  student  of  the  Bible,  especially 
every  Sabbath  school  and  Bible  class  teacher.  It  is  prepared  with  fecial 
reference  to  this  class  of  persons,  and  contains  a  mass  of  just  the  kind  of 
information  wanted. 

The  undersigned,  having  examined  Professor  Ripley'3  Notes  on  fne 
Gospels,  can  recommend  them  with  confidence  to  all  who  need  such 
helps  in  the  study  of  the  sacred  Scriptures.  Those  passages  which  all 
can  understand  are  left '  without  note  or  comment,'  and  the  principal  la- 
bor is  devoted  tn  the  explanation  of  such  parts  as  need  to  be  explained 
and  rescued  from  the  perversions  of  errorists,  both  the  ignorant  and  the 
learned.  The  practical  suggestions  at  the  close  of  each  chapter,  are  not 
the  least  valuable  portion  of  the  work.  Most  cordially,  for  the  sake  of 
truth  and  righteousness,  do  we  wish  for  these  Notes  a  wide  circulation. 
Baron  Stow,         R.   H.  Neale,  R.  Turnbull, 

Daniel  Sharp,     J.  W.  Parker.        N.  Colvee. 
Wm.  Hague,         R.  W.  Cushman, 


ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES,  WITH  NOTES. 

Chiefly  Explanatory.  Designed  for  Teachers  in  Sabbath  Schools 

and  Bible  Classes,  and  as  an  Aid  to  Family  Instruction. 

By  Prof  Henry  J.  Ripley. 

The  external  appearance  of  this  book,  —  the  binding  and  the  printed 
page,  — '  it  is  a  pleasant  thing  for  the  eyes  to  behold.'  On  examining  the 
contenis,  we  are  favorably  impressed,  first,  by  the  wonderful  perspicuity, 
simplicity,  and  comprehensiveness  of  the  author's  stjie  ;  secondly,  by 
the  completeness  and  systematic  arrangement  of  the  work,  in  all  its  parts, 
the  '  remarks '  on  each  paragraph  being  carefully  separated  from  the  ex- 
position ;  thirdly,  by  the  correct  theology,  solid  instruction,  and  consistent 
exphmations  of^  difficult  passages.  The  work  cannot  fail  to  be  received 
Avith  favor.  These  Notes  are  much  more  full  than  the  Notes  on  the  Gos- 
pels, by  the  same  author.  A  beautiful  map  accompanies  them.  —  Reflector. 


SCRIPTURE  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Containing  a  descriptive  account  of  Quadrupeds,  Birds,  Fishes,  Insects, 

Reptiles,  Serpents,  Plants,  Trees,  Minerals,  Gems,  and  precious 

Stones,  mentioned  in  the  Bible.   By  Wm.  Carpenter, 

London  ;  with  Improvements.     By  G.  D.  Abbott. 

Illustrated  by  numerous  Engravings : 

also,  Sketches  of  Palestine. 

6 


SABBATH  SCPIOOL  CLASS  BOOK. 

Comprising  copious  Exercises  on  ihe  Sacred  Scriptures.  By  E.  Lincoln 

Revised  and  improved  by  an  eminent  Clergyman, 

and  a  Superintendent. 

Having  examined  your  Sabbath  School  Class  Book,  it  gives  us  pleas- 
ure to  express  our  satisfaction  with  its  design  and  execution.  The  great 
beirefit  which  a  good  class  l)ook  accomplishes,  consists  in  guiding  the 
mind  of  the  scholar  in  the  study  of  his  lesson,  and  in  suggesting  topics  of 
conversation  to  the  teacher.  To  this  end  we  think  your  work  is  well 
adapted  ;  having  avoided,  ia  a  great  degree,  the  evils  of  extreme  redun- 
dance or  conciseness.  AVm.  Hague,  H.  Malcom, 
E.  Thkesuer,      Baron  Stow. 


LINCOLN'S  SCRIPTURE  QUESTIONS. 

With  the  Answers  annexed,  giving,  in  the  language  of  the  Sacred  Vol 

ume,  interesting  portions  of  the  History,  and  a  concise  View  of 

the  Doctrines  atid  Duties  exhibited  in  the  Bible. 

Where  Bibles  cannot  be  furnished  to  each  scholar,  the  Scripture  Ques- 
tions may  be  used  with  convenience,  as  the  answers  are  printed. 


MALCOM'S   BIBLE   DICTIONARY. 

A  Dictionan,-  of  the  most  important  Names,  Objects,  and  Terms,  found 

in  the  Holy  Scriptures  ;  intended  principally  for  Sunday  School 

Teachers  and  Bible  Classes.     By  H.  ^Ialcom,  D.  D. 

Illustrated  by  thirty-nine  Engravings  on 

Wood,  and  a  Alap  of  Palestine 

From  the  Minutes  of  the  Boston  Association. 
Believing  that  the  advantages  of  Sabbath  School  and  Bible  Class  in- 
struction, depend  greatly  on  tiie  intelligence  of  their  teachers,  and  that 
the  extended  circulation  of  Malcom's  Bible  Dictionary  would  conduce  to 
their  better  qualification.  Resolved,  That  this  work  be  recommended  to 
ihft  patronage  of  the  triends  of  early  religious  instruction. 


HAGUE'S    GUIDE    TO    CONVERSATION 
ON  THE  NEW   TESTA3IEXT. 

Designed  for  the  Use  of  Bible  Classes  and  Sabbath  Schools. 

Vol.  I.  Matthew,  — Vol.    H.  Jolm. 

By  Rev.  William  Hague. 

The  object  of  this  work  is  ticof old :  — 1st  To  facilitate  the  efforts  of 
the  teachers  in  communicating  instruction  to  their  classes  :  —  2d.  To  ex- 
cite a  spirit  of  inquiry' among  the  classes  themselves.  To  this  end,  such 
questions  are  asked  as  are  adapted  to  lead  the  mind  to  think^  and  only 
such  as  the  scholar,  with  the  Bible  in  his  hand,  may  be  expected  to 
answer,  by  the  aid  of  his  own  reflecting  powers.  The  questions  are 
interspersed  with  familiar  remarks,  which  are  designed  to  convey  to  the 
scholar  such  information  as  may  not  be  within  his  reach,  and  also  to 
keep  up  a  continuout  conversation  belwoen  the  teacher  and  tlie  class. 


THE  KAREN  APOSTLE; 

Or,  Memoir  of  Ko  Thah-Byu,  the  first  Karen  convert,  with  notice* 

concerning  his  Nation.     With  maps  and  plates.     By  the 

Rev.  Francis  Mason,  Missionary.    American 

edition.  Edited  by  Prof.  H.  J.  Ripley, 

of  Newton  Theol.  Institution. 

Second  Thousand. 

0="  This  is  a  work  of  thrilling  interest,  containing  the  history  of  a 
remarkable  man,  and  giving,  also,  much  information  respecting  the 
Karen  Mission,  heretofore  unknown  in  this  country.  It  must  be  sought 
for,  and  read  with  avidity  by  those  interested  in  this  most  interesting 
mission.  Il  gives  an  account,  which  muot  be  attractive,  from  its  novelty, 
of  a  people  that  have  been  but  little  known  and  visited  by  missionaries, 
till  within  a  few  years.  The  baptism  of  Ko  Thah-Byu,  in  1828,  was  the 
beginning  of  the  mission,  and  at  the  end  of  these  twelve  years,  twelve 
hundred  and  seventy  Karens  are  officially  reported  as  members  of  the 
churches,  in  good  standing.  The  mission  has  been  carried  on  preemi- 
neruly  by  the  Karens  themselves,  and  there  is  no  doubt,  from  much 
touching  evidence  contained  in  this  volume,  that  they  are  a  people  pecu- 
liarly susceptible  to  religious  impressions.  The  account  of  Mr.  Mason 
must  be  interesting  to  every  one. 


MEMOIR  OE  ANN  H.  JUDSON, 

Late  Missionary  to  Burmah,  including  a  History  of  the  American  Baptist 

Mission  in  the  Burman  Empire.  By  Rev.  James  D.  Knowles. 

A  New  Edition.     With  a  Continuation  of  the  History 

down  to  the  present  year. 

We  are  particularly  gratified  to  perceive  a  new  edition  of  the  Memoirs 
of  Mrs.  Judson.  She  was  an  honor  to  our  country  —  one  of  the  most 
noble-spirited  of  her  sex.  It  cannot,  therefore,  be  surprising,  that  so 
many  editions,  and  so  many  thousand  copies  of  her  hfe  and  adventures 
have  been  sold.  The  name  —  the  long  career  of  suflering  —  the  self- 
sacrificing  spirit  of  the  retired  country-girl,  have  spread  over  the  whole 
world  ;  and  the  heroismof  her  apostleship  and  almost  martyrdom,  stands 
out  a  living  and  heavenly  beacon-fire,  amid  the  dark  midnight  of  ages, 
and  human  history  and  exploits.  She  was  the  first  woman  who  resolved 
to  become  a  missionary  to  heathen  countries.  —  Ainerican  Traveller. 

This  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  pieces  of  female  biography  which 
has  ever  come  under  our  notice.  No  quotation,  which  our  hmits  allow, 
would  do  justice  to  the  facts,  and  we  must,  therefore,  refer  our  readers  to 
the  volume  itself.  It  ought  to  be  immediately  added  to  every  family 
library.  —  London  Miscellany. 


Price  Redttced. 

MALCOM'S  TRAVELS  IN  SOUTH-EASTERN  ASIA, 

Embracing  Hindostan,  Malaya,  Siam,  and  China ;  with  notices  of  nu- 
merous Missionary  Stations  ;  and  a  full  account  of  the  Burman 
Empire ;  with  Dissertations,  Tables,  &c.    Two  volum«s 
in  one,  beautifully  illustrated.     Sixth  edition. 
By  Howard  Malcom.  D.  D. 

[TT"  The  work  has  received  the  highest  commendation  from  the  press  ; 
and  the  best  proof  of  the  estimation  in  which  it  is  regarded,  is  in  the  unex- 
ampled sale  of  the  work  Nearly  four  thousand  copies  were  sold  within 
one  year  from  its  first  appearance.  In  its  mechanical  execution  it  aur- 
passM  any  similar  work  ever  attempted  in  this  country, 
8 


GEORGE   DAM  BOARDMAN, 

Late  !\Iissioiiar)'  to  Burmah,  containing  much  intelligence  relative  to 

the  Burman  Mission.     By  Rev.  Alonzo  King.     A  New  Edition. 

With  an  Introductory  Essay,  by  a  distinguished  Clergyman. 

Embellished  with  a  Likeness  ;  a  beautiful  Vignette, 

representing  the  baptismal  scene  just  before 

his  death  ;  and  a  drawing  of  his  Tomb, 

taken  by  Rev.  H.  IMalcom,  D.  D. 

No  one  can  read  the  Memoir  of  Boardman,  without  feeling  that  the 
rehgion  of  Christ  is  suited  to  purify  the  aflections,  exalt  the  purposes,  and 
give  energy  to  the  character.  Mr.  Boardman  was  a  man  of  rare  excel- 
lence, and  his  biographer,  by  a  just  exhibition  of  that  excellence,  has 
rendered  an  important  service,  not  only  to  the  cause  of  Christian  missions, 
but  lu  the  interests  of  personal  godliness.  Baron  Stow. 


LIFE  OF  PHILIP  MELANCTHON. 

COMPRISING    AN    ACCOUNT    OF    THE    REFORMATION. 

BY  F.  A.  COX,  D.  D.,  LL.  D. 

This  is  a  neat  edition  of  a  work,  which  has  obtained  in  England  a 
permanent  reputation.  The  acquaintance,  which  many  in  this  country 
have  Ibrmed  with  its  author,  will  induce  them  to  read  the  book  with  in- 
creased interest.  It  is  well  wriucn,  in  a  style,  which,  though  flowing 
and  ornate,  is  not  turgid.  It  shows  all  the  learning  which  is  appropriate 
to  the  subject,  without  an  ofiensive  display.  The  facts  concerning  Me- 
lancthon  are  detailed  with  clearness,  and  a  lucid  view  is  presented  of  the 
pjincipal  personages  and  events  of  the  age.  From  no  other  book,  within 
the  same  compass,  could  a  belter  knowledge  of  the  rise  and  progress  of 
the  Reformation  be  obtained.  For  this  reason,  as  well  as  lor  the  attrac- 
tions which  belong  to  the  character  of  Melancthon,  the  book  is  valuable. 
—  Christian  Review. 


WINCHELL'S  WATTS. 

An  Arrangement  of  the  Psalmsand  Hymnsof  Watts,  with  a  Supplement. 


WATTS  AND   KIPPON. 

The  Psalms  and  Hymns  of  Dr.  Watts,  arranged  by  Dr.  Rippon,  with 
Dr.  RiPPON-s   Selections,  in  one  volume,  new  edition,  cor- 
rected and  improved  by  Rev.  C.  G.  Sommers,  N.  Y. 


JAMES'S  CHURCH-MEMBER'S  GUIDE. 

With  an  Introductory  Essay,  by  Rev.  H.  Winslow. 


0  N  E  S  I  M  U  S : 


OR,  THE  APOSTOLIC  DIRECTION  TO  CHRISTIAN  MASTERS 
IN  REFERENCE  TO  THEIR  SLAVES. 

An  eminent  statesman  of  the  Souih  writes  :  —  'It  is  just  and  philosoph- 
ical, free  t'rom  fanaiicistn,  and  enlighlened  by  the  pure  spirit  of  Chris- 
tianity, as  well  as  liy  correct  general  information  on  slavery.  It  is  the 
pious  fiiend  of  both  master  and  slave  ;  and  this  is  wise  beyond  almost 
all  Northern  treatises.'  9 


DR.  HARRIS'S  WORKS. 


Probably  no  writer  of  modern  times  has  so  much  engaged  the  public  mind  as 
Dr.  Harris.  All  his  works  have  been  favorably  received,  extensively  re- 
viewed, and  both  the  style  and  spirit  highly  recommended. 

MISCELLANIES; 

CONSISTING  PRINCIPALLY  OF  SERMONS  AND  ESSAYS. 

By  J.  Harris,  D.  D.    With  an  Introductory  Essay 

and  Notes,  by  Joseph  Belcher,  D.  D. 

THE    GREAT   COMMISSION  ; 

The  Christian  Church  constituted,  and  charged  to  convey  the  Gospel  to 

the  World.     With  an  Introductory  Essay,  by  the 

Rev.  Wm.  R.  Williams,  D.  D. 

Fourth  Tliousand. 

THE    GREAT  TEACHER; 

Or,  Characteristics  of  our  Lord's  Ministry.     With  an  Introductory 

Essay,  by  Heman  Humphrey,  D.  D. 

Ninth  Thousand. 

MAMMON ; 

Or,  Covetousness  the  Sin  of  the    Christian  Church.    A  Prize  Essay. 

Seventh  Thousand. 

UNION  ; 

Or,  the  Divided  Church  made  One.     Second  Thousand. 

ZEBULON; 

A  Prize  Essay  on  the  Condition  and  Claims  of  Sailors. 

THE  ACTIVE  CHRISTIAN  ; 

A  Selection  from  the  Writings  of  J.  Harris,  D.  D. 

CAMPBELL  AND  FENELON  ON  ELOQUENCE. 

Campbell's  Lectures  on  Theology  and  Pulpit  Eloquence, 

and  Fenelon's  Dialogues  on  Eloquence. 

Edited  by  Prof.  H.  J.  Ripley. 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  COLLYER. 

Selections  from  the  Theological  Lectures  of  Rev.  W.  B.  Collteb,  D.  D. 
By  Rev.  J.  O.  Choules. 
10 


THE   BAPTISMAL  QUESTION. 

Containing  Messrs.  Cooke  and  Towne's  '  Hints  to  an  Inquirer,  on 

the  Subject  of  Baptism,'  —  a  Review  of  the  '  Hints,'  by  the 

Rev.  William  Hague,  witli  a  '  Rejoinder,'  by 

CooKE  and  Towne,  and  Mr.  Hague's 

Examination  of  the  Rejoinder. 


BAPTISM  ITS  OVr^  WITNESS. 

Or,  Reflections  suggested  by  reading  '  The  Baptized  Child.'     By  Rer 
Wm.  Hague,  Pastor  of  Federal  St.  Baptist  Church,  Boston. 


JEWETT   ON  BAPTISM. 

The  Mode  and  Subjects  of  Baptism.     By  Mild  P.  Jewett,  A.  M., 

late  prolessor  in  Marietta  College,  and  a  licensed  ministei 

of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

Tenth  Thoumnd. 


THE  SACRED  MINSTREL. 

A  Collection  of  Church  Music,  consisting  of  Psalm  and  Hymn  Tunes, 

Anthems,  Sentences,  Chants,  &c.,  selected  from  the  most 

popular  productions  of  nearly  one  hundred 

different  authors  in  this  and  other 

ountries.  By  N.  D.  Gould. 


NATIONAL  CHURCH  HARMONY. 

BY  N.  D.  GOULD. 


A  NEW  GUIDE  FOR  EMIGRANTS  TO  THE  WEST. 

By  John  M.  Peck,  of  Illinois. 

We  earnestly  wish  this  most  excellent  work  was  in  the  hands  of  those 
hundreds  of  Emigrants,  who  are  now  about  town,  and  intend  to  go 
'  West.'  The  advice  and  information  contained  in  these  three  hundred 
and  seventy-four  pages  are  really  invaluable,  and,  if  attended  to,  would 
save  an  immense  amount  of  time,  trouble,  and  last,  not  least,  money. 
The  author  may  be  depended  upon  ;  having  had  every  opportunity  for 
gathering  facts  and  knowledge  on  the  subject.  —  N.  Y.  Messenger. 


CHRISTIAN  REVIEW -8  Vols. 

Edited  by  J.  D.  Knowles,  Barnas  Sears,  and  S.  F.  Smith. 

K7^  A  few  complete  sets  for  sale  at  the  low  price  of  eight  dollars  per 
set  j  odd  volumes,  one  dollar  and  fifty  cents  each,  except  for  the  Jirst, 
which  cannot  be  sold  separate. 

11 


ELEGANT  MINIATURE  VOLUMES. 

Gilt  Edges    and   beautifully  ornamented   Covers. 

DAILY   MANNA, 
For  Christian  Pilgrims.    By  Rev.  Baron  Stow. 

THE  YOUNG  COMMUNICANT. 

An  Aid  to  the  Right  Understanding  and  Spiritual  Improvement  of  the 
Lord's  Supper. 

THE   BIBLE  AND  THE  CLOSET. 

Edited  by  Rev.  J.  O.  Choules. 

THE  MARRIAGE  RING; 

Or,  How  to  make  Home  Happy.     By  J.  A.  James 

LYRIC  GEMS. 

A  Collection  of  Sacred  Poetry.     Edited  by  Rev.  S.  F.  Smith. 

THE  CYPRESS  WREATH. 

A  Book  of  Consolation  for  those  who  !\Iourn.     Edited  by  Rev.  Rufus 
W.  Grisvvold. 

THE  CASKET  OF  JEWELS. 

For  Young  Christians.    By  J.  Edwards  and  J,  A.  James. 

THE    MOURNER'S  CHAPLET. 

An  Offering  of  Sympathy  for  Bereaved  Friends.     Selected  from  Ameri- 
can Poets.    Edited  by  John  Keese. 

THE  ACTIVE  CHRISTIAN. 

From  the  Writings  of  John  Harris,  D.  D. 

THE   FAMILY   CIRCLE. 

Its  Affections  and  Pleasures.     Edited  by  H.  A.  Graves. 

THE   FAMILY  ALTAR. 
Or  the  Duty,  Benefits,  and  Mode  of  Conducting  Family  "Worship. 

THE  THEATRE. 

In  its  Influence  upon  Literature,  Morals,  and  Religion. 
By  Rev.  R.  Turnbull. 

THE  SAINT'S  EVERLASTING  REST. 

By  the  Rev.  Richard  Baxter. 

THE  IMITATION  OP  CHRIST. 

tn  Three  Books.  By  Thomas  A  Kempis.  With  an  Introductory  Essay. 

by  Thomas  Chalmers,  of  Glasgow.    A  new  edition. 

Edited  by  Rev.  Howard  Malcom. 

13 


'                        Date  Due 

1 

«aiMi 

,^ 

MS^mm 

:ifr. 

^^mmi 

pr^ 

ix           ffl 

PRINTED 

IN  U.  S.  A. 

